{"id":86817,"date":"2021-09-29T10:55:18","date_gmt":"2021-09-29T14:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=86817"},"modified":"2021-09-29T10:55:18","modified_gmt":"2021-09-29T14:55:18","slug":"biden-administration-morphs-into-full-blown-covid-tyranny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=86817","title":{"rendered":"<b>Biden Administration Morphs Into Full-Blown Covid Tyranny<\/b>"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Biden&#8217;s Vax Mandate To Be Enforced By Fining Companies $70,000 To $700,000?<\/h1>\n<p><!--more-->ZeroHedge.com<\/p>\n<p><em>By Adam Andrzejewski, CEO\/Founder of OpenTheBooks.com; originally published in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/adamandrzejewski\/2021\/09\/28\/bidens-vax-mandate-to-be-enforced-by-fining-companies-70000-to-700000\/?sh=6a29874c1c0d\">Forbes<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>President Joe Biden didn\u2019t just announce a Covid-19 vaccine mandate on companies employing 100 or more people, he plans to enforce it.<\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi\u2019s House quietly tucked an enforcement mechanism into their $3.5 trillion \u201creconciliation\u201d bill, passed it out of the Budget Committee, and sent it to the House floor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"Advert_desktop__1J5vD Advert_tablet__3QEBr Advert_mobile__1rlLc Advert_placement__1I4yb Advert_align__N0_fw\">\n<aside id=\"in-content-video\" class=\"Advert_verticallySpaced__wnPy3\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/21841313772,21778456762\/zerohedge\/in_content_video_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p>Buried on page 168 of the House Democrats\u2019 2,465-page\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.house.gov\/meetings\/BU\/BU00\/20210925\/114090\/BILLS-117pih-BuildBackBetterAct.pdf\">mega bill\u00a0<\/a>is\u00a0<em>a tenfold increase in fines<\/em>\u00a0for employers that \u201cwillfully,\u201d \u201crepeatedly,\u201d or even seriously violate a section of labor law that deals with hazards, death, or serious physical harm to their employees.<\/p>\n<p>The increased fines on employers could run as high as $70,000 for serious infractions, and $700,000 for willful or repeated violations\u2014almost three-quarters of a million dollars for\u00a0<em>each<\/em>\u00a0fine. If enacted into law, vax enforcement could bankrupt non-compliant companies even more quickly than the $14,000 OSHA fine\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/government\/biden-vaccine-mandate-will-test-us-workplace-regulator-2021-09-13\/\">anticipated under Biden\u2019s announced mandate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Biden Administration has already started implementing its vaccine mandate enforcement blueprint:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set precedent this summer and published an emergency Covid-19\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2021\/06\/21\/2021-12428\/occupational-exposure-to-covid-19-emergency-temporary-standard\">rule in the Federal Register<\/a>\u00a0taking jurisdiction over and providing justification for Covid-19 being\u00a0<em>a workplace hazard for healthcare employment<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Early in September, Biden announced his 100-or-more employee Covid-19 vaccine mandate and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/safety\/how-osha-can-conjure-bidens-soft-vaccine-mandate-explained\">tasked<\/a>\u00a0OSHA with drafting an enforcement rule to exert emergency vaccine compliance authority over companies with 100 or more employees.<\/li>\n<li>The legislative provision that passed the Budget Committee raises the OSHA fines for non-compliance 10 times higher \u2013 and up to $700,000 for each \u201cwillful\u201d or \u201crepeated\u201d violation. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not announced when the House will vote on the reconciliation bill that includes the new OSHA fines.<\/li>\n<li>If the legislation is enacted, OSHA could levy draconian fines to enforce Biden\u2019s vaccine mandate, a move that could rapidly bankrupt non-compliant companies. The Biden mandate affects employers collectively employing an estimated\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/government\/biden-vaccine-mandate-will-test-us-workplace-regulator-2021-09-13\/\">80 million workers<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Democrats are playing hardball.<\/p>\n<p>President Biden embraced an aggressive stance earlier this month when he\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/health\/2021\/09\/10\/covid-biden-vaccine-mandate-face-masks-cases\/8265425002\/\">challenged Republicans<\/a>\u00a0who are threatening lawsuits over what they decry as his federal overreach: \u201cHave at it. \u2026 We\u2019re playing for real here. This isn\u2019t a game.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><u><strong>The Legislation<\/strong><\/u><\/h3>\n<div class=\"Advert_tablet__3QEBr Advert_mobile__1rlLc Advert_placement__1I4yb Advert_align__N0_fw\">\n<aside id=\"in-content-1\" class=\"Advert_centered__2tRj9 Advert_verticallySpaced__wnPy3\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/21841313772,21778456762\/zerohedge\/in_content_1_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p>The provision tucked in the House reconciliation budget\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.house.gov\/meetings\/BU\/BU00\/20210925\/114090\/BILLS-117pih-BuildBackBetterAct.pdf\">bill<\/a>\u00a0(on page 168) that increases OSHA fines reads:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>SEC. 21004. ADJUSTMENT OF CIVIL PENALTIES.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>(a)\u00a0<\/strong>OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970.\u2014Section 17 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 666) is amended\u2014<\/p>\n<p>(1) in subsection (a)\u2014<\/p>\n<p>(A) by striking \u2018\u2018$70,000\u2019\u2019 and inserting \u2018\u2018$700,000\u2019\u2019; and<\/p>\n<p>(B) by striking \u2018\u2018$5,000\u2019\u2019 and inserting \u2018\u2018$50,000\u2019\u2019;<\/p>\n<p>(2) in subsection (b), by striking \u2018\u2018$7,000\u2019\u2019 and inserting \u2018\u2018$70,000\u2019\u2019; and<\/p>\n<p>(3) in subsection (d), by striking \u2018\u2018$7,000\u2019\u2019 and inserting \u2018\u2018$70,000\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>That provision would change existing law relating to OSHA\u2019s enforcement fines, the very same section of law whose fines OSHA referenced in its June Covid-19 healthcare worker rule and is likely to use again to enforce its forthcoming vaccine compliance rules.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Existing Law<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/29\/666\">29 U.S.C.\u00a7 666<\/a>\u00a0lays out OSHA enforcement fine levels.\u00a0The 1970-enacted law reads:<\/p>\n<p><strong>29 U.S. Code \u00a7 666 &#8211; Civil and criminal penalties<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>(a) Willful or repeated violation\u00a0<\/strong>Any\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/definitions\/uscode.php?width=840&amp;height=800&amp;iframe=true&amp;def_id=29-USC-1193469627-1971982749&amp;term_occur=999&amp;term_src=title:29:chapter:15:section:666\">employer<\/a>\u00a0who willfully or repeatedly violates the requirements of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/29\/654\">section 654 of this title<\/a>, any standard, rule, or order promulgated pursuant to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/29\/655\">section 655 of this title<\/a>, or regulations prescribed pursuant to this chapter may be assessed a civil penalty of\u00a0<strong>not more than $70,000 for each violation<em>,<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>but not less than $5,000 for each willful violation<\/p>\n<p><strong>(b) Citation for serious violation\u00a0<\/strong>Any\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/definitions\/uscode.php?width=840&amp;height=800&amp;iframe=true&amp;def_id=29-USC-1193469627-1971982749&amp;term_occur=999&amp;term_src=title:29:chapter:15:section:666\">employer<\/a>\u00a0who has received a citation for a serious violation of the requirements of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/29\/654\">section 654 of this title<\/a>, of any standard, rule, or order promulgated pursuant to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/29\/655\">section 655 of this title<\/a>, or of any regulations prescribed pursuant to this chapter, shall be assessed a civil penalty of\u00a0<strong>up to $7,000 for each such violation<\/strong>\u00a0[emphasis added].<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osha.gov\/memos\/2021-01-08\/2021-annual-adjustments-osha-civil-penalties\">Each year<\/a>, OSHA adjusts these penalties for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.osha.gov\/penalties\/\">inflation<\/a>, so for 2021, the fines are not actually capped at $70,000 and $7,000, but $136,532 and $13,653 per violation. If House Democrats get their way, by enacting the page 168 changes, those fines would increase to $700,000 for willful and repeated violations and $70,000 for serious violations.<\/p>\n<p>Section 654, cross-referenced in the OSHA enforcement penalty code, outlines the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/29\/654\">law<\/a>\u00a0requiring workplaces to be \u201cfree from recognized hazards\u201d causing harm or death:<\/p>\n<p><strong>29 U.S. Code \u00a7 654 &#8211; Duties of employers and employees<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>(a)\u00a0<\/strong>Each\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/definitions\/uscode.php?width=840&amp;height=800&amp;iframe=true&amp;def_id=29-USC-1193469627-1971982749&amp;term_occur=999&amp;term_src=title:29:chapter:15:section:654\">employer<\/a>\u2014<\/p>\n<p><strong>(1)\u00a0<\/strong>shall furnish to each of his\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/definitions\/uscode.php?width=840&amp;height=800&amp;iframe=true&amp;def_id=29-USC-1193469614-1971982750&amp;term_occur=999&amp;term_src=title:29:chapter:15:section:654\">employees<\/a>\u00a0employment and a place of employment which are\u00a0<em>free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm<\/em>\u00a0to his\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/definitions\/uscode.php?width=840&amp;height=800&amp;iframe=true&amp;def_id=29-USC-1193469614-1971982750&amp;term_occur=999&amp;term_src=title:29:chapter:15:section:654\">employees<\/a>;<\/p>\n<p><strong>(2)\u00a0<\/strong>shall comply with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/definitions\/uscode.php?width=840&amp;height=800&amp;iframe=true&amp;def_id=29-USC-1428676332-1971982752&amp;term_occur=999&amp;term_src=title:29:chapter:15:section:654\">occupational safety and health standards<\/a>\u00a0promulgated under this chapter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>(b)\u00a0<\/strong>Each\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/definitions\/uscode.php?width=840&amp;height=800&amp;iframe=true&amp;def_id=29-USC-1193469614-1971982750&amp;term_occur=999&amp;term_src=title:29:chapter:15:section:654\">employee<\/a>\u00a0shall comply with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/definitions\/uscode.php?width=840&amp;height=800&amp;iframe=true&amp;def_id=29-USC-1428676332-1971982752&amp;term_occur=999&amp;term_src=title:29:chapter:15:section:654\">occupational safety and health standards<\/a>\u00a0and all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this chapter which are applicable to his own actions and conduct [emphasis added].<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>OSHA has already published a rule this year claiming Covid-19 is a workplace hazard, and the agency is using this provision of law to assert and enforce its authority. It is likely the new rule to enforce Biden\u2019s mandate will also use this authority, and by extension use the fines upon enforcement.<\/p>\n<h3><u><strong>Huge Crippling OSHA Fines, Likely By Design<\/strong><\/u><\/h3>\n<p>The crippling change described on page 168 of the Democrats\u2019 bill isn\u2019t a typo or a clerical error. It was inserted by design and, likely, with the hope that no one would notice before Democrats ram the bill through Congress.<\/p>\n<div class=\"Advert_tablet__3QEBr Advert_mobile__1rlLc Advert_placement__1I4yb Advert_align__N0_fw\">\n<aside id=\"in-content-2\" class=\"Advert_centered__2tRj9 Advert_verticallySpaced__wnPy3\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/21841313772,21778456762\/zerohedge\/in_content_2_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p>If enacted, it could bankrupt a whole host of companies that do not believe they should have to comply with the Biden administration\u2019s mandate or harbor the cost of intrusive, weekly tests.<\/p>\n<p>In its June 2021 emergency rule affecting health care workers,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2021\/06\/21\/2021-12428\/occupational-exposure-to-covid-19-emergency-temporary-standard\">OSHA complained<\/a>\u00a0it was having a hard time motivating employers with its paltry $13,653 fine:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOSHA has been limited in its ability to impose penalties high enough to motivate the very large employers who are unlikely to be deterred by penalty assessments of tens of thousands of dollars, but whose noncompliance can endanger thousands of workers \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><u><strong>The Critics<\/strong><\/u><\/h3>\n<p>Some have openly\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/daily-labor-report\/osha-exposed-to-culture-wars-backlash-through-vaccine-mandate\">discussed<\/a>\u00a0businesses defying the mandate and taking their risks with OSHA fines. For example, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chiproytx\/status\/1436056826093752327\">tweeted<\/a>\u00a0that businesses \u201cshould openly rebel\u201d against any OSHA rule.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s one thing to defy a $14,000 fine. It\u2019s quite another to risk incurring hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. One or two disgruntled employees, for example, could bring an employer $70,000-$140,000 in OSHA fines. If considered \u201cwillful,\u201d as per Rep. Roy\u2019s tweet \u2014 just three \u201cviolations\u201d could quickly become a $2.1 million OSHA fine.<\/p>\n<div class=\"Advert_tablet__3QEBr Advert_mobile__1rlLc Advert_placement__1I4yb Advert_align__N0_fw\">\n<aside id=\"in-content-3\" class=\"Advert_centered__2tRj9 Advert_verticallySpaced__wnPy3\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/21841313772,21778456762\/zerohedge\/in_content_3_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<h3><u><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong><\/u><\/h3>\n<p>If its provision becomes law, the Biden administration may force American businesses to choose between\u00a0vaccinating their employees, testing them weekly for Covid-19, or going bankrupt under crippling OSHA fines.<\/p>\n<p>In September, Biden warned the tens of millions of Americans who have declined vaccination against Covid-19, \u201cWe\u2019ve been patient.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/bidens-covid-19-strategy-thwarted-by-anti-vaxxers-delta-variant-2021-07-29\/\">But our patience is wearing thin<\/a>, and your refusal has cost all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now the Democrats in the House are hoping to make employers foot the bill for that \u201ccost\u201d in the form of fines and bankruptcy.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans might want to read page 168 of the Democrats\u2019\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.house.gov\/meetings\/BU\/BU00\/20210925\/114090\/BILLS-117pih-BuildBackBetterAct.pdf\">bill<\/a>. After all, as we like to say at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/adamandrzejewski\/2021\/01\/28\/why-is-it-controversial-to-ask-congress-to-read-the-bill\/?sh=40a13b045a55\">OpenTheBooks.com<\/a>, the text of the bill is online in real time.<\/p>\n<p>___<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/political\/bidens-vax-mandate-be-enforced-fining-companies-70000-700000\">https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/political\/bidens-vax-mandate-be-enforced-fining-companies-70000-700000<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Biden&#8217;s Vax Mandate To Be Enforced By Fining Companies $70,000 To $700,000?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-86817","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=86817"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86817\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=86817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=86817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=86817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}