Opponents of federal vaccine mandate seek rehearing

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court is being asked to reconsider its decision allowing the Biden administration to require that federal employees get vaccinated against COVID-19. A panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month vacated a lower court ruling and ordered dismissal of a lawsuit against the federal employee vaccine mandate, which was ordered by President Joe Biden in September. However, that 2-1 ruling by the appellate panel doesn’t take effect until May 31. On Saturday, opponents of the mandate filed a petition asking that the April ruling be vacated and that the full 17-member court hear new arguments in the case.