The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Friday decided to uphold a stay on the Biden administration's unconstitutional vaccine mandate after it criticized the requirement that they said had caused "economic upheaval" in the past few months.
Describing the vaccine mandate as "fatally flawed" and "staggeringly overbroad," the three-judge panel in the federal court argued that such a requirement surpasses the federal government's authority and will cause "serious constitutional concerns."
According to CNBC, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued an opinion on Friday, in which it underscored its stance to halt the implementation of the Biden administration's unconstitutional vaccine mandate.
Considered one one of the most conservative appellate courts in the country, the federal court first hit pause on the requirements on Nov. 6 pending review, in response to challenges brought about by the Republican attorneys general of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Utah, and a number of private companies.
The federal court criticized the Biden administration's vaccine mandate as "a one-size-fits-all sledgehammer that makes hardly any attempt to account for differences in workplaces (and workers)." In the 22-page ruling issued on Friday, the three-judge panel wrote,
"From economic uncertainty to workplace strife, the mere specter of the Mandate has contributed to untold economic upheaval in recent months."
"IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that OSHA take no steps to implement or enforce the mandate until further court order," the federal court said.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is responsible for developing workplace safety policies, had established vaccine requirements following emergency authority established by Congress. OSHA argued that there must be new health standards in the face of COVID, but the three-judge panel questioned whether COVID really poses a "grave danger" to employees.
Without the federal court's stay, the Biden administration's unconstitutional COVID vaccine mandate would have taken effect on Jan. 4 and would hit violators with a $14,000 fine per violation. The mandate required either COVID vaccines or weekly testing for employees.
According to CBN News, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was one of the many attorneys general who sued the Biden administration over the unconstitutional vaccine mandates, took to social media to celebrate the success.
"Citing Texas' 'compelling argument(s),' the 5th Circuit has delayed OSHA's unconstitutional and illegal private-business vaccine mandate. WE WON!" Paxton declared. "Litigation will continue, but this is a massive victory for Texas and for FREEDOM from Biden's tyranny and lawlessness."
Up to 27 states have already filed lawsuits against the Biden administration in federal appeals courts after OSHA announced its new rules on Nov. 4. Critics of the mandate argued that there was no point in treating the COVID vaccine mandates as an "emergency" rule as it will take effect in January, four months after President Joe Biden announced it. Others believe that the continued decline of new COVID cases all over the U.S. does not warrant such mandates.
Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson said that the Biden administration is committed to uphold the COVID vaccine mandate despite the many legal challenges it faces, saying it will "vigorously defend the standard and looks forward to obtaining a definitive resolution following consolidation of all of the pending cases for further review."
