Appeals court blocks Biden vaccine mandate for government workers

Trump-appointed District Judge Jeffrey Brown initially blocked the order in January.

Published: March 23, 2023 8:22pm

Updated: March 24, 2023 6:00pm

A federal appeals court on Thursday blocked President Joe Biden's order that federal employees receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

The administration had argued that the president was akin to CEO managing a private corporation and therefore held the authority to require employees to get vaccinated, according to the Associated Press.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, however, disagreed and reversed the decision of a panel that had sided with the administration. That panel included three judges from the Fifth Circuit, two of whom favored the government's argument. The full appeals court, a group of sixteen judges, ruled Thursday.

Trump-appointed District Judge Jeffrey Brown of Texas initially blocked the order in January. President Joe Biden issued the directive in September 2021.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.

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