President Biden will announce during a speech to the nation Thursday night that all federal employees will be required to be fully vaccinated, with no option to opt out through regular testing.
The executive order he is expected to sign enforcing the vaccine mandate for federal employees will also apply to federal contractors.
The mandate is part of a new approach the Biden administration will take to combatting the coronavirus as the Delta variant surges across the nation.
The six-pronged plan Biden is set to unveil was finalized by the President and members of his public health team on Wednesday afternoon. He received a briefing in the Oval Office from his Covid-19 response team on the anticipated new steps.
A White House official said the six pillars of Biden's plan include: vaccinating the unvaccinated; further protecting the vaccinated through booster shots; keeping schools open; increasing testing and requiring masks; protecting the economic recovery; and improving care for those with Covid-19.
Officials said they hope the new approach will provide Americans a clearer view of how the pandemic will end after 18 months of Covid-dampened life. (CNN)
During a July 5 speech, President Biden said "we’re closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus," only to see cases rise and mask mandates and other health precautions come back months later.
His approval rating on dealing with the pandemic has taken a hit as well.
"Biden’s approval rating on handling the coronavirus in the new ABC News/Washington Post poll stands at 52%-41%," Fox News reported earlier this month. "The president’s approval is down 10 points from June, when Biden stood at 62%-31%."
The RNC reminded that in December Biden said he would not make vaccines mandatory.
Joe Biden is announcing new vaccine mandates today.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 9, 2021
In December, Biden said he “wouldn’t demand it be mandatory.” pic.twitter.com/a0Qm38FYGg
Republican lawmakers are vowing to fight the mandate.
Not only is Biden going to force all federal workers to be vaccinated, but he's demanding employees who do business with the federal government to be vaccinated.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) September 9, 2021
This is an ASSAULT on individuals' freedoms and livelihoods.
We must fight this.