North Dakota joins 11-state coalition attempting to stop vaccine requirements

Courtesy of North Dakota Attorney General's Office
Courtesy of North Dakota Attorney General's Office

(Bismarck, ND) -- North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem joined an 11-state coalition in suing the Biden Administration attempting to stop the vaccine requirements on private employers with more than 100 employees. 

 “This lawsuit is not about whether people should get vaccinated, it is about opposing yet another federal overreach, this time an attempt by the federal government to commandeer private employers to require their employees to get vaccinated,” said Stenehjem. “We contend the mandate violates the United States Constitution, including the 10th Amendment. We will be seeking an injunction to prohibit the implementation of this unlawful requirement,” 

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum also expressed his support for North Dakota's legal challenge to the Biden administration. 

“We wholeheartedly support the attorney general’s challenge to this illegal, misguided and unfairly applied rule. It’s not the role of the federal government – or the states – to force a vaccine mandate on private businesses,” Burgum said. “North Dakota has been a leader in making safe, effective vaccines available to all residents who want them, and we encourage those who haven’t received the vaccine to consult with their trusted medical provider. The Biden administration’s overreaching mandate will only add to vaccine skepticism and resistance and exacerbate labor challenges while intruding on states’ rights and personal freedoms. The courts should immediately block this OSHA emergency rule and protect the freedom of private employers to make decisions on vaccinations that are right for them and their businesses.”

The policy enacted by the Biden Administration gives more power to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). They would have the authority to require private employers with 100 or more employees to mandate their workers to be vaccinated or implement weekly testing and mask requirements. Businesses could face a $14,000 for each employee not complying with the mandate. 

In addition to North Dakota, Attorneys General from Missouri, Arizona, Montana, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Alaska, New Hampshire, and Wyoming also joined the challenge.