U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments against COVID-19 vaccine mandates

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Friday against President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for large employers and health care workers. The plaintiffs include Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who has specifically objected to the requirement at hospitals and facilities that receive federal aid.

The U.S. District Court for Western Louisiana and Missouri’s Eastern District Court have issued rulings to block the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ requirement for workers at sites that receive money through the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The Supreme Court justices will consider whether to issue a stay that negates those rulings. They are expended to render a decision this weekend.

Landry maintains the Biden administration has acted beyond its statutory authority and violated multiple federal laws. He blames the president for exacerbating health care staffing shortages in the midst of the pandemic.

Biden wants jabs-or-jobs; I want FREEDOM and LIBERTY!

Tune in live this morning to listen to our arguments before the Supreme Court Justices. #lagov #lalegehttps://t.co/oIUPX6rGN6 pic.twitter.com/7FtvYEqpz1

— AG Jeff Landry (@AGJeffLandry) January 7, 2022

“In their attempt to co-opt the Medicare and Medicaid system to impose a vaccine on 17 million healthcare workers, the Biden Administration completely ignores the unprecedented labor shortage prevailing in the healthcare sector and patient wellbeing in favor of the President’s ambition to increase societal vaccination rates,” Landry said in a statement Thursday.

The Louisiana Illuminator will have a complete report on the arguments before justices today from our States Newsroom bureau in Washington, D.C. Be sure to check back later today for more details, and look for our coverage on the ruling this weekend.