Joe Biden revealed during his vacation in Lake Tahoe that he has formally submitted a request to Congress for funding aimed at the development of a new COVID-19 jab. He emphasized the importance of this jab, stating, “I signed off this morning on a proposal we have to present to the Congress — a request for additional funding for a new vaccine that is necessary and works.”
Biden’s announcement comes with the acknowledgment that the recommendation for the jab’s universal administration is still under consideration, as he mentioned, “Tentatively, not decided finally, it is recommended that everybody get it, no matter what they got before.”
In September 2021, Biden had previously attempted to enforce jab mandates for a significant portion of the private sector workforce in the United States through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This action plan necessitated that employers with more than 100 workers mandate vaccination or weekly virus testing, affecting around 80 million Americans. Additionally, approximately 17 million healthcare facility employees under federal Medicare or Medicaid were mandated to be fully vaccinated. Biden also instituted an executive order that imposed vaccination mandates on federal workers and contractors without the option for alternative testing.
However, the endeavor to enforce these mandates faced legal challenges and varying outcomes. In January 2022, the Supreme Court upheld the jab mandate for healthcare workers at facilities receiving federal funding while striking down the mandate for large businesses.
Subsequent developments witnessed a shift in approach. In early May, Biden decided to end the requirement for most international travelers entering the United States to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Similar changes were introduced for federal employees and contractors.
Reflecting on the impact of the jab mandates, Ashish Jha, the former White House COVID-19 response coordinator, noted that these requirements played a role in achieving a vaccination rate of over 90% among employees. However, the circumstances have evolved since then.
Amidst these developments, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic announced on August 1 that it would initiate an investigation into the COVID-19 jab mandates and policies implemented by federal agencies. The scope of this investigation extends to the Department of Defense, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Chair Brad Wenstrup, a Republican from Ohio, emphasized that although federal mandates have since been rolled back, the consequences of these policies continue to affect many Americans. Wenstrup highlighted the committee’s concern about the impact on the doctor-patient relationship and anticipated long-lasting implications resulting from the federal government’s intervention.