US vaccine mandates – Photo: B Christopher/Alamy Stock Photo

The US Supreme Court is set to hold oral arguments regarding the legality of two of President Biden’s vaccine mandates today.

The first set of cases concerns the enforceability of an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule which requires organizations with 100 or more employees to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The second set of cases addresses rules issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) which mandates that CMS providers also must be fully vaccinated.

Despite opposition from Republican politicians and employers claiming that the mandates are an overreach of executive power, the Biden administration has remained steadfast on the vaccine mandates. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaski stated that the administration is “confident in [its] legal authority” on the issue.

The deliberate pace of the argument process is competing against the six-month expiration of either mandate. Therefore, the vaccine mandate issue will remain a decisive political issue as the US prepares for November’s midterm elections.

Expect Republican candidates to continue campaigning against the vaccine mandate, further entrenching vaccine disparities within the country. Likewise, given the success of Republicans in politicizing Biden’s COVID-19 response, Democrats risk losing their legislative majority come November.

Wake up smarter with an assessment of the stories that will make headlines in the next 24 hours. Download The Daily Brief.