19 US states sue Biden administration over COVID-19 vaccine mandate

The states asked a federal judge to block Biden’s requirement that all employees of federal contractors be vaccinated

Eighteen US states filed three separate lawsuits on Friday to stop President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors, arguing that the requirement violates federal law  Qazet.az reports.

Attorneys-general from Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming signed on to one lawsuit, which was filed in a federal district court in Missouri.

The states asked a federal judge to block Biden’s requirement that all employees of federal contractors be vaccinated against the coronavirus by December 8, arguing the mandate violates federal procurement law and is an overreach of federal power.

“If the federal government attempts to unconstitutionally exert its will and force federal contractors to mandate vaccinations, the workforce and businesses could be decimated, further exacerbating the supply chain and workforce crises,” Missouri Attorney-General Eric Schmitt, a Republican, said in a statement.

“The federal government should not be mandating vaccinations, and that’s why we filed suit today – to halt this illegal, unconstitutional action.”

New Hampshire’s Republican Attorney-General John Formella said COVID vaccines are safe, effective and encouraged but that the benefits “do not justify violating the law.”

Florida sued on Thursday, bringing to 19 the number of states challenging the Biden administration mandate in four federal courts.

Biden has argued that sweeping vaccine mandates will help end the deadly pandemic, but Republicans nationwide have opposed the vaccination requirements and have threatened to bring similar legal challenges.

Texas filed a similar lawsuit on Friday in a federal district court in a federal court in Galveston, Texas, seeking to block enforcement of the mandate.