Four of Idaho’s top elected officials have sent a letter to President Biden, outlining their concerns about his federal vaccine mandate.Idaho Governor Brad Little, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Winder and House Speaker Scott Bedke say the states, not the federal government, have the power to issue vaccination policies. They’ve threatened to sue the feds if the president doesn’t withdraw his directive. It requires people who work for the federal government or for private companies with a hundred or more employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly for Covid. Employees may apply for religious or medical exemptions.
In their letter, the officials argue Congress has traditionally left vaccination policies to states. They say an Idaho law addressing school immunizations has been in place for more than 40 years – and that the federal mandate, would displace Idaho’s legal and regulatory processes. They also say businesses can write their own Covid-related policies.
Idaho is one of several states that have threatened to take legal action to stop the federal rule from being implemented.