With supply chain disruptions, airlines, hospitals, and other businesses struggling to fully comply with President Biden's COVID vaccine mandate, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued his own order banning "any entity" in the state from enforcing vaccine mandates.
The governor's executive order states that no entity in Texas can impose vaccination for the coronavirus on any person who objects "for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior recovery from COVID-19." Abbott reiterated his support for vaccination overall, saying that "The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus, but should remain voluntary and never forced."
The Story So Far
When President Biden first issued his executive order mandating all companies with more than 100 employees to insist upon the vaccine or require weekly testing, Abbott laid out his case, saying:
"In yet another instance of federal government overreach, the Biden Administration is now bullying many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas's continued recovery from the COVID-19 disaster."
It seems there is a battle over COVID regulations taking place between the White House and state leaders. Last month the president accused several Republican governors of undermining the pandemic recovery. He warned, "We're facing a lot of pushback, especially from some of the Republican governors. The governors of Florida and Texas are doing everything they can to undermine the life-saving requirements that I've proposed … This is the worst kind of politics because it's putting the lives of citizens of their states, especially children, at risk. And I refuse to give in to it."
Private Enterprise
This move by Abbott comes as companies in the state are on the verge of mass firings. American Airlines in Fort Worth has informed its more than 100,000 employees that they have until November 24 to provide proof of vaccination or face termination. Tech giants Facebook and Google have also issued a similar ultimatum to their own staff.
This last weekend saw Southwest Airlines cancel or delay thousands of flights just days after a pilot's union attempted to challenge the mandate in court. Although SWA insists that the disruption is due to nothing more than inclement weather and poor timing, whistleblowers within the industry suggest employees are engaging in a "sick-out."
How Governor Abbott's executive order will be challenged in the courts remains to be seen.
Liberty Nation will keep you updated as this story develops.
