The White House is considering using its federal power to pressure institutions into requiring the COVID-19 shot, according to the Washington Post.
Under the new potential policy from the Biden administration, institutions such as universities, cruise lines, and even long-term care facilities that rely on federal funding to operate could risk losing their government dollars if they don’t comply with vaccine mandates.
The White House’s bid, aimed at getting the roughly 50 percent of the country that is unvaccinated to get their dose of the COVID-19 shot, could particularly focus on those organizations that receive funding through Medicare. The hope from the administration, according to the report, is that nursing homes and similar facilities would mandate the vaccine for all of their employees.
The White House did not deny the report but made it clear that the Democrat administration is still contemplating how to implement policies across the country to force vaccines on Americans.
“As we always are, the administration is discussing a host of different measures we can continue to boost vaccinations across the country,” a White House official told Fox News. “Any reported ideas under consideration are in early conversations and pre-decisional. There are no imminent policy decisions as to preview at this time.”
The move comes just one week after President Joe Biden mandated vaccines for federal employees. The White House’s decision received pushback from several GOP members as well as unions such as the American Postal Workers Union, which previously endorsed Biden for president.
“Maintaining the health and safety of our members is of paramount importance. While the APWU leadership continues to encourage postal workers to voluntarily get vaccinated, it is not the role of the federal government to mandate vaccinations for the employees we represent,” the union’s official statement read. “Issues related to vaccinations and testing for COVID-19 in the workplace must be negotiated with the APWU. At this time the APWU opposes the mandating of COVID-19 vaccinations in relation to U.S. postal workers.”
Source: The Federalist
