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Sean D. Reyes
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Utah Files Challenge to OSHA Vaccine Mandate

SALT LAKE CITY — Today, Utah filed a legal action challenging the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate for private businesses that employ more than 100 employees. The lawsuit addresses the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s new rule implementing President Biden’s order that private businesses must require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4, 2022. The order could affect as many as 80 million workers nationwide.
 
In a statement, Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes released the following:
 
“We are challenging the vaccine mandates to protect Utahns from an egregious and unprecedented exercise of coercive power by the federal executive branch. 
 
As I’ve stated before, President Biden can pretend to be an emperor, but America is a free republic, not a dictatorial state. 
 
Vaccines may be a powerful counter to the COVID epidemic, especially for those without natural immunity. But the choice to get vaccinated is a deeply personal one that should be made free of government threats and cudgels. 
 
Forcing that decision upon the American people is not only counterproductive but also blatantly illegal. And the President knows it. 
 
He first tried to oppress federal contractors with a vaccine mandate and now he attempts to bully private businesses, their employees, and government healthcare workers into compliance. 
 
These mandates will backfire. They will cost the President and his party in coming elections. And they will not stand up in court. But we will stand up in court—for the people. Because if left unchallenged, these mandates will hurt working Americans, struggling businesses, and our economy.” 
 
 
The challenge to President Biden’s directive was filed in the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, along with 4 other states.