[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 14, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 50989-50990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19927]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 175 / Tuesday, September 14, 2021 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 50989]]


                Executive Order 14043 of September 9, 2021

                
Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination 
                for Federal Employees

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, including sections 3301, 3302, and 7301 of 
                title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as 
                follows:

                Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my 
                Administration to halt the spread of coronavirus 
                disease 2019 (COVID-19), including the B.1.617.2 
                (Delta) variant, by relying on the best available data 
                and science-based public health measures. The Delta 
                variant, currently the predominant variant of the virus 
                in the United States, is highly contagious and has led 
                to a rapid rise in cases and hospitalizations. The 
                nationwide public health emergency, first declared by 
                the Secretary of Health and Human Services on January 
                31, 2020, remains in effect, as does the National 
                Emergency Concerning the Coronavirus Disease 2019 
                (COVID-19) declared pursuant to the National 
                Emergencies Act in Proclamation 9994 of March 13, 2020 
                (Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Novel 
                Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak). The Centers 
                for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the 
                Department of Health and Human Services has determined 
                that the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to 
                prevent infection by the Delta variant or other 
                variants is to be vaccinated.

                COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in the United 
                States. They protect people from getting infected and 
                severely ill, and they significantly reduce the 
                likelihood of hospitalization and death. As of the date 
                of this order, one of the COVID-19 vaccines, the 
                Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, also known as 
                Comirnaty, has received approval from the Food and Drug 
                Administration (FDA), and two others, the Moderna 
                COVID-19 Vaccine and the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, have 
                been authorized by the FDA for emergency use. The FDA 
                has determined that all three vaccines meet its 
                rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness, and 
                manufacturing quality.

                The health and safety of the Federal workforce, and the 
                health and safety of members of the public with whom 
                they interact, are foundational to the efficiency of 
                the civil service. I have determined that ensuring the 
                health and safety of the Federal workforce and the 
                efficiency of the civil service requires immediate 
                action to protect the Federal workforce and individuals 
                interacting with the Federal workforce. It is essential 
                that Federal employees take all available steps to 
                protect themselves and avoid spreading COVID-19 to 
                their co-workers and members of the public. The CDC has 
                found that the best way to do so is to be vaccinated.

                The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (Task Force), 
                established by Executive Order 13991 of January 20, 
                2021 (Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring 
                Mask-Wearing), has issued important guidance to protect 
                the Federal workforce and individuals interacting with 
                the Federal workforce. Agencies have also taken 
                important actions, including in some cases requiring 
                COVID-19 vaccination for members of their workforce.

                Accordingly, building on these actions, and in light of 
                the public health guidance regarding the most effective 
                and necessary defenses against COVID-19, I have 
                determined that to promote the health and safety of the 
                Federal workforce and the efficiency of the civil 
                service, it is necessary to require COVID-19 
                vaccination for all Federal employees, subject to such 
                exceptions as required by law.

[[Page 50990]]

                Sec. 2. Mandatory Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination 
                for Federal Employees. Each agency shall implement, to 
                the extent consistent with applicable law, a program to 
                require COVID-19 vaccination for all of its Federal 
                employees, with exceptions only as required by law. The 
                Task Force shall issue guidance within 7 days of the 
                date of this order on agency implementation of this 
                requirement for all agencies covered by this order.

                Sec. 3. Definitions. For the purposes of this order:

                    (a) The term ``agency'' means an Executive agency 
                as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105 (excluding the Government 
                Accountability Office).
                    (b) The term ``employee'' means an employee as 
                defined in 5 U.S.C. 2105 (including an employee paid 
                from nonappropriated funds as referenced in 5 U.S.C. 
                2105(c)).

                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.
                    (d) If any provision of this order, or the 
                application of any provision to any person or 
                circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of 
                this order and the application of any of its other 
                provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall 
                not be affected thereby.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    September 9, 2021.

[FR Doc. 2021-19927
Filed 9-13-21; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P