equally blunt about the difficult road ahead. while america is in much better shape than it was seven months ago when i took office, i need to tell you a second fact. we re in a tough stretch, and it could last for a while. president biden laid out a six-point program to combat the virus, and we ll talk about them with chief medical officer dr. anthony fauci. authorize been cases and deaths higher than they were one year ago. first we want to lay out the basics of the administration s six-part plan. first new vaccination requirements. perhaps the headline here, employers with more than 100 workers be required to have mask mandates or weekly testing. although that testing comes with a requirement that the employer provide paid time off. failure to comply could mean fines. also a new mandate for federal workers and contractors. plus one for health care workers at facilities that take funding from medicare or medicaid. the white house is also calling on entertainment venues
good evening. it is unusual and extraordinary to hear a president address the nation so obviously frustrated with millions of his own fellow americans but that was the tone president biden struck late this afternoon, as he announced a series of new steps to fight the coronavirus surge. frustration at republicans fighting mask mandates in schools. many of whom, have been defiant if their response to the new rules and guidance. but also, tens of millions of vaccine-eligible americans who remain unvaccinated. saying at one point, we have been patient but, quote, our patience is wearing thin. unsparing in who is to blame, equally blunt about the difficult road ahead. while america s much better shape than it was seven months ago when i took office, i need to tell you a second fact. we re in the tough stretch, and it could last for a while. president biden laid out a six-point program to combat the virus. and we ll talk about them with the president s chief-medical officer dr.
look, i am so disappointed that particularly some of the republican governors have been so cavalier with the health of these kids. so cavalier with the health of their communities. this is we re playing for real here. this isn t a game. here are the basics. all private companies with more than 100 workers will have to require vaccinations or weekly testing. all federal employees and contractors must get a covid shot as well as educators and federally funded programs and health care workers in settings with medicaid or medicare reimbursements. and finally the president wants entertainment venues to require proof of testing or vaccination. let s start with a primary care physician and public health specialist. dr. matthew, setting aside the politics, would you consider this good public health policy? i would. you know, i m really excited that president biden, i think for the very first time was very stern. he looked at the americans in the eyes and said enough is enough.
in this country are required to start forcing employees to either get the covid vaccine or submit to regular covid tests. my job as president is to protect all americans. so tonight, i m announcing that the department of labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees that together employ over 80 million workers to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated. or show a negative test at least once a week. jesse: joe biden added that if state governments don t go along with this, he will use my power as president to get them out of the way. what power does the president have to override state governments on this issue exactly? joe biden didn t say. maybe it s the same authority that allowed at the cdc to suspend all evictions in the country. this administration no longer cares about the rules, they will do whatever they want. keep in mind, less than a year ago joe biden told us that vaccines would never be mandatory. he knew he d
start forcing employees to either get the covid vaccine or submit to regular covid tests. my job as president is to protect all americans. so tonight, i m announcing that the department of labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees that together employ over 80 million workers to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated. or show a negative test at least once a week. jesse: joe biden added that if state governments don t go along with this, he will use my power as president to get them out of the way. on what power does the president have to override state governments on this issue exactly? joe biden didn t say. maybe it s the same authority that allowed at the cdc to suspend all evictions in the country. this administration no longer cares about the rules, they will do whatever they want. keep in mind, less than a year ago joe biden told us that vaccines would never be mandatory. he knew he didn t have the authority to do