Gov. Parson: ‘We are going to push back against the federal mandates’

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Governor Mike Parson hopes to halt the the Biden administration's federal vaccine mandate.

Parson spoke with ABC 17 News moments before Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, along with 10 other states, filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for imposing a vaccine mandate on federal contractors and federally contracted employees.

"There's no reason to do it right now, nor do I believe they have the constitutional authority," Parson said. "We hope we get a stay put on it, until we stop everything for right now, until there is congressional action or until there is state legislative action on this."

Workers at 3M in Columbia voiced their opposition to the Biden administration's federal vaccine mandate earlier this week after the company told the workers to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8 or be fired.

Biden signed a group of executive orders in September to mandate vaccines for companies who have contracts with the federal government and to have OSHA issue a rule for companies with 100 or more employees to mandate vaccines or weekly COVID-19 testing.

Parson says the state is suing to put a pause on both orders.

"People have a right to have due process," Parson said. "We're putting everything we have on the table to stop the federal government to come into our state and telling Missourians what it is they can do and can't do and really using leverage over their head by saying, 'Hey, we're gonna cut off resources if you don't,' because at the end of the day, it's so problematic."

Missouri House Democrats criticized Parson's order on Thursday, calling it a way to support Schmitt's "frivolous" lawsuit.