News

U.S. Supreme Court blocks federal vaccine mandate for large businesses

Published

2 years ago

14/01/2022

MNN

he U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the Joe Biden administration’s rule requiring employees at large U.S. businesses to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be subject to frequent testing, but it allowed the administration’s vaccine mandate for health care workers receiving funds from the federal government to go ahead.

The high court ruled 6-3 to block the vaccine-or-test mandate for private employers, with its conservative majority basing their ruling on the argument that the White House has overstepped its authority by imposing the rule devised by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on businesses with 100 or more employees, since Congress has not given OSHA the power to enact such a rule. The mandate would have affected more than 80 million people.

“OSHA has never before imposed such a mandate. Nor has Congress. Indeed, although Congress has enacted significant legislation addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, it has declined to enact any measure similar to what OSHA has promulgated here,” read the unsigned majority opinion.

“Although Congress has indisputably given OSHA the power to regulate occupational dangers, it has not given that agency the power to regulate public health more broadly. Requiring the vaccination of 84 million Americans, selected simply because they work for employers with more than 100 employees, certainly falls in the latter category,” it said.

The court’s three liberal justices dissented from the ruling. “When we are wise, we know not to displace the judgments of experts, acting within the sphere Congress marked out and under Presidential control, to deal with emergency conditions,” they wrote in the dissenting opinion.

“Today, we are not wise. In the face of a still-raging pandemic, this Court tells the agency charged with protecting worker safety that it may not do so in all the workplaces needed. As disease and death continue to mount, this Court tells the agency that it cannot respond in the most effective way possible.”

Biden, in a statement issued in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling, called on states and businesses step up “and institute vaccination requirements to protect their workers, customers, and communities.”

“The Court has ruled that my administration cannot use the authority granted to it by Congress to require this measure, but that does not stop me from using my voice as President to advocate for employers to do the right thing to protect Americans’ health and economy,” he said.

Biden announced the rules in September as a way to combat the pandemic resurgence, only to see his measures meet with strong opposition from — and a slew of lawsuits filed by – Republican-led states. Some business groups, meanwhile, argued that the expansive requirements would cause employees to leave their jobs at a time when businesses are already suffering labor shortages.

Separately, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to let the administration’s vaccine mandate for most health care workers take effect. That mandate will apply to over 17 million health care workers across around 76,000 facilities that participate in the federally-funded Medicare and Medicaid programs.

The court argued that Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra had the authority to enact the vaccine requirement because he’s empowered to enact rules “in the interest of the health and safety,” and that the mandate was not “arbitrary and capricious.”

Vaccine requirements, the justices said in an unsigned opinion, are “common” for health care workers, noting this is “perhaps why health care workers and public health organizations overwhelmingly support the Secretary’s rule.”

“The challenges posed by a global pandemic do not allow a federal agency to exercise power that Congress has not conferred upon it. At the same time, such unprecedented circumstances provide no grounds for limiting the exercise of authorities the agency has long been recognized to have,” the justices wrote, adding “the latter principle governs” the health care cases.

Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the ruling, along with three other conservative justices who concurred with him.

The private employer mandate took effect on Jan. 4 and started being enforced on Jan. 10 – with the testing requirements not enforced until Feb. 9. Federal health officials have said health care workers will be required to receive a first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine dose by Jan. 27 and be fully compliant with the policy by Feb. 28.

Source: Xinhua News Agency.

News

President: In actuality, opposition wishes to overthrow the government

Published

6 hours ago

19/04/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu states despite the opposition in actuality wishes to overthrow the government despite showcasing they want to hold the government accountable.

Speaking at the PPM-PNC campaign rally for the parliamentary election held in Fuvahmulah City on Thursday night – President Muizzu said although the opposition preaches about holding the government accountable, their inner desires are coming out now.

“The opposition talked about accountability before. Now, they are expressing what was in their hearts with respect to it. To change the government. To overthrow. To impeach. These kinds of terms,” he said.

Underscoring that everyone is aware this is a violation of the rules of democracy, President Muizzu appealed to the public to not allow for the nation to fall into this instability.

Refuting the opposition’s remarks regarding holding the government accountable, the President, described pro-government candidates as responsible and honest individuals. Therewith, he stressed that they would hold the government accountable for the sake of their constituents.

He added that it was PPM lawmakers who played the most crucial role in holding him accountable when he was housing minister during the PPM administration.

Similarly, he said pro-government candidates will undertake all efforts necessary within the parliament to defend the rights of their constituents, adding they would also cooperate with the government in matters concerning the rights of the constituents.

Speaking further, President Muizzu said the development desired by the people cannot be achieved if there is a parliament where the opposition MDP holds the majority.

On this note, he said there is no development that MDP can bring by having the parliament’s majority as the opposition which they failed to bring during the past five years when the party was ruling and held the parliament’s majority.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Yameen: Beliefs let go in actions after assuming office

Published

6 hours ago

19/04/2024

Former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom states the current administration acting contradictory to PPM’s beliefs after assuming office is the reason why he formed a new political party.

Yameen visited his new party, PNF’s office, to greet supporters after the High Court overturned a conviction against him for money laundering and bribery earlier this evening. Prior to this, he answered questions from the press outside the court.

Speaking with his supporters, Yameen said the current administration shaping all of its policies against the cornerstones of PPM. In this trajectory, he mentioned the appointment of uneducated individuals to various posts and the creation of political posts without any consideration.

“This government came and erased all this,” he stressed.

The former president also highlighted the government’s failure to disclose the “unknown” agreements made with India, the hesitancy to revoke the presidential decree during the former administration which banned the ‘India Out’ movement while defending the said decree.

Nevertheless, Yameen established that PNF does not support any efforts to impeach President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

“However, I will be very firm on matters such as infringement of major interests of the people and unjust treatment of state properties,” he added.

Yameen was posed by a question by a supporter as to whether the government should be given the majority of the parliament in the election slated for Sunday. In response, the former president said attaining powers would change the thinking of a person.

“How a person will change when they attain power and extremely wealth, is known to Almighty Allah,” he said.

Speaking further, Yameen extended gratitude to his supporters for believing in his innocence.

He expressed that he was not disheartened by the fact that he lost the chance to contest in September’s presidential election over the stalled appeal of his conviction.

Nonetheless, he questioned the state of the rights of the people who supported him. Underscoring that the Supreme Court could have ordered to expedite the appeal, Yameen said such a huge loss would not have been incurred if that had been done.

Source(s): sun.mv

World

China rejects U.S., Japan, Philippines concern about South China Sea

Published

7 hours ago

19/04/2024

The Chinese foreign ministry has dismissed accusations against China on the South China Sea issue by certain countries.

Relevant countries’ groundless accusations and deliberate smears against China on the South China Sea issue are unacceptable, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on a statement issued by the U.S., Japan and the Philippines after their trilateral summit. The statement expressed so-called “serious concerns about China’s behavior in the South China Sea” and called on China to abide by the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal.

Lin said China strongly opposes the practice of bloc politics by said countries, firmly opposes any acts that stoke and drive up tensions and harm other countries’ strategic security and interests, and is seriously against forming exclusive groupings in this region.

Noting that the award of the South China Sea Arbitration is illegal, null and void, he said China did not accept or take part in the Arbitration, does not accept or acknowledge the so-called award, and much less does China accept any claim or action that is based on the award.

Lin said the South China Sea Arbitration and its illegal award harm the interests of countries in the region, including the Philippines.

“No matter how some may try to frame the South China Sea issue, the issue remains what it is,” Lin said, adding that no political manipulation disguised as legal moves will go anywhere or deter China from safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Lin said China will continue to firmly safeguard its lawful rights in accordance with domestic and international laws. “We urge relevant countries to be sober-minded and change course instead of going further down the wrong path,” he added.

Source(s): CGTN