White House Condemns Abbot’s Decision To Stall The Biden Administration

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki called Texas Governor Greg Abbot’s decision to ban the vaccine mandate, politically motivated and against the available public health data.

She also stated that this is not the first time that we have seen the Texas gov putting politics ahead of public health.

Abbott on Monday had issued an executive order to ban the vaccine mandate in Texas and had called the Biden administration’s decision to mandate the vaccine “bullying”.

White House Condemns Abbot’s Decision To Stall The Biden administration

According to Abbott, this is another attempt of federal overreach by the Biden administration, who is trying to bully the private firms into mandating the COVID-19 vaccines which will lead to disruption of the workforce which will then jeopardize Texas’ recovery from the COVID disaster. 

Psaki during a press briefing said that the Biden administration’s decision to mandate the vaccine for large firms(firms that have more than 100 employees), will be implemented soon as the federal law overrides the state law.

When Psaki was asked why then Abbott issued such an order knowing well that Federal law is coming, she replied it’s all “politics”. 

According to Psaki, it is clear that the decision of Abbott is not in the interest of the people he governs.

Psaki also condemned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for implementing a law that protects workers from the vaccine mandate required by the Biden administration

Psaki pointed out Disney and American Airlines both of whom have mandated vaccination for their employees and said that the decision of governors of Texas and Florida is out of the line of the business leaders in their respective states.

This isn’t the first time Abbott and the white house have come to loggerheads over COVID management measures. Texas and Florida both had opposed mask mandates, especially in schools.

Texas-based companies have also voiced their opposition to Abbott’s decision and said that it is not binding on them. On Tuesday, the Dallas regional chambers also clearly opposed Abbot’s position and said that it supports the right of employers to do what’s in the interest of their company, which includes Vaccine Mandate or Testing Requirements.

Spokeswoman of Abbott Renae Eze said the governor took this decision as countless Texan workers are fearful of losing their jobs owing to this federal overreach.

The Biden Administration according to her had put Texans in a predicament of choosing between their jobs or going against their religious beliefs, personal conscience, or medical condition by getting vaccinated. The Governor’s order will protect Texan workers from such a predicament.

Many major employers in texas and all around the country are in favor of the Biden administration’s decision to mandate the vaccine. There are many workers who are unwilling to return to work as they need assurance that their co-workers and customers are vaccinated and are not the carriers of the virus.

Abbott’s attempt to stall the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate is a reversal from his previous stand in August where he said that though Texas would not issue a vaccine mandate, it will allow Business options to do so.

Abbott is seeking a third term, two of his challengers are former state senator Don Huffines and Florida congresswoman Allen West.

Psaki also took aim at Sen. Ted Cruz, who had blamed flight cancellations by Dallas-based Southwest Airlines on vaccine mandates.

Psaki also took a dig at Senator Ted Cruz who had blamed the flight cancellation by Dallas-based Southwest airline on the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate. The airline however said that cancellations were caused by weather.

The airline also has said that it has plans to comply with the Biden administration’s decision.