Moving Beyond COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Federal Workers, 30891-30892 [2023-10407]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 93 (Monday, May 15, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 30891-30892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10407]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 93 / Monday, May 15, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 30891]]


                Executive Order 14099 of May 9, 2023

                
Moving Beyond COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements 
                for Federal Workers

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. In 2021, based on the best available 
                data and guidance from our public health experts, I 
                issued Executive Order 14043 of September 9, 2021 
                (Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for 
                Federal Employees), to direct executive departments and 
                agencies (agencies) to require coronavirus disease 2019 
                (COVID-19) vaccination for their employees, and 
                Executive Order 14042 of September 9, 2021 (Ensuring 
                Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal 
                Contractors), to ensure that Federal contractors and 
                subcontractors have adequate COVID-19 safety protocols. 
                I issued those orders at a time when the highly 
                contagious B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant was the 
                predominant variant of the virus in the United States 
                and had led to a rapid rise in cases and 
                hospitalizations. Those orders were necessary to 
                protect the health and safety of critical workforces 
                serving the American people and to advance the 
                efficiency of Government services during the COVID-19 
                pandemic. Following issuance of those orders, my 
                Administration successfully implemented a vaccination 
                requirement for the Federal Government, the largest 
                employer in the Nation, achieving a 98 percent 
                compliance rate (reflecting employees who had received 
                at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or had a 
                pending or approved exemption or extension request) by 
                January 2022. More broadly, my Administration has 
                effectively implemented the largest adult vaccination 
                program in the history of the United States, with over 
                270 million Americans receiving at least one dose of 
                the COVID-19 vaccine.

                Following this important work, along with continued 
                critical investments in tests and therapeutics that are 
                protecting against hospitalization and death, we are no 
                longer in the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 
                my Administration has begun the process of ending 
                COVID-19 emergency declarations. Our public health 
                experts have issued guidance that allows individuals to 
                understand mitigation measures to protect themselves 
                and those around them. Our healthcare system and public 
                health resources throughout the country are now better 
                able to respond to any potential surge of COVID-19 
                cases without significantly affecting access to 
                resources or care. Since September 2021, COVID-19 
                deaths have declined by 93 percent, and new COVID-19 
                hospitalizations have declined by 86 percent. 
                Considering this progress, and based on the latest 
                guidance from our public health experts, we no longer 
                need a Government-wide vaccination requirement for 
                Federal employees or federally specified safety 
                protocols for Federal contractors. Vaccination remains 
                an important tool to protect individuals from serious 
                illness, but we are now able to move beyond these 
                Federal requirements.

                Sec. 2. Revocation of Vaccination Requirements. 
                Executive Order 14042 and Executive Order 14043 are 
                revoked. Agency policies adopted to implement Executive 
                Order 14042 or Executive Order 14043, to the extent 
                such policies are premised on those orders, no longer 
                may be enforced and shall be rescinded consistent with 
                applicable law.

                Sec. 3. Effective Date. This order is effective at 
                12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on May 12, 2023.

[[Page 30892]]

                Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or 
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    May 9, 2023.

[FR Doc. 2023-10407
Filed 5-12-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F3-P