Supreme Court vaccine mandate ruling a 'high-profile setback' for Labor Department: Eugene Scalia
Former labor secretary says Supreme Court 'shrunk' department's authority
Supreme Court blocking vaccine mandate is ‘high-profile setback’ for Labor Dept.: Eugene Scalia
Labor Secretary under the Trump administration Eugene Scalia argues when government agencies ‘overreach,’ they come away with less than they had before.
Former Trump Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia said President Biden’s Labor Department is facing a "high-profile setback" Friday following the Supreme Court’s decision to block a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large businesses.
"One of the things that makes this decision really a setback for the Labor Department is that the authority that the Labor Department once thought it had has now been shrunk by the court," Scalia told FOX Business’ Ashley Webster on "Cavuto: Coast to Coast."
Scalia warned when government agencies extend their overreach, they come away with less than they had before. He now believes the Labor Department has fewer emergency powers.
"We had a very comprehensive program of guidelines for workers and companies about how to address the virus," Scalia explained, "and we thought we had existing inspection and enforcement authority that we could use to address it."
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"The program that I put in place, which was largely continued under the current labor secretary, is now going to have to be narrowed," he continued. "Separate and apart from the fact this emergency rule was thrown down."
However, Scalia is confident the Supreme Court ruling will help workers reenter the workforce and prevent further COVID-19 mandates, possibly easing an ongoing labor shortage.
"There could be a blessing there for the president because I think that one way to get workers back, and keep the economy going the way it had been, is to avoid unnecessary regulations," Scalia noted. "Yesterday's decision makes that harder for the president."
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Scalia said he hopes the ruling, combined with some government clarity, will "ease" the labor problem.
"I think that one of the concerns this mandate has caused: there's been uncertainty hanging over employers, workers for months now," he pointed out. "So that may be a blessing to the market."