歪歪漫画

ST. PAUL 鈥� After President Joe Biden announced or regular testing for millions of American workers, Minnesota lawmakers on either side of the political spectrum are voicing either support, or loud dissent.

Biden announced the plan on Thursday, Sept. 9, in an address to the nation, saying that the federal government will require coronavirus immunizations or weekly testing to all American businesses which employ more than 100 workers. When it鈥檚 implemented, the mandate will be enforced by the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, better known as OSHA. Government employees will also face vaccine requirements.

In a Friday , Democratic Gov. Tim Walz said Biden's new mandate "is the right move."

"The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, and this will help ensure we鈥檙e keeping each other safe and healthy," he wrote.

Minnesota's junior Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith on Friday in support of the move, too.

"The CDC reported today that unvaccinated people are 10 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die from COVID," she wrote. "So yes, I鈥檓 a strong, unequivocal supporter of President Biden鈥檚 vaccine and testing rules."

Several Minnesota Republicans, on the other hand, came out strongly against the mandate, with District 8鈥檚 U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber in a Thursday calling it 鈥渢yrannical and 鈥渁 complete abuse of power.鈥�

鈥淢edical decisions are personal, to be made between an individual and their doctor,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淛oe Biden along with his army of unelected federal bureaucrats have absolutely no right to trample over workers鈥� rights, medical freedom and individual liberty.鈥�

District 1鈥檚 U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn in a Friday referred to the mandate as 鈥渁 total abuse of power that relies on force and coercion.鈥�

鈥淭his mandate IS a direct assault on freedom and an attempt by this administration to gain more control over Americans鈥� lives,鈥� he continued. 鈥淏iden has failed to 鈥榮hut down the virus鈥� and is resorting to authoritarianism and tyranny.鈥�

Across the aisle, District 3鈥檚 U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, a Democrat, signaled his support for Biden鈥檚 announcement, that unvaccinated Americans eligible for the vaccine are 鈥渁 link in the covid (sic) life chain, and a threat to public health/liberty.鈥�

鈥淚f you live in the woods and don鈥檛 want a vaccine, that鈥檚 your prerogative,鈥� he tweeted Thursday. 鈥淏ut when you step foot into a store, a school, a factory, an airport, or an office, now you鈥檙e potentially compromising my freedom, my liberty, and my health.鈥�

North Dakota to consider suing Biden administration over vaccine mandate, Gov. Burgum says Burgum, who called the proposal a "blatant federal overreach," joined South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem in proclaiming on Twitter that his state will explore options for challenging the president's plan in court. 
South Dakota leaders criticize President Biden's vaccination strategy Sen. Thune called Biden's vaccine requirements for private employees the wrong strategy, and Gov. Noem threatened to sue. South Dakota continues to lag below 50% for full vaccination rate among eligible adults, according to the Mayo Clinic.