On Thursday, December 16, Governor Greg Abbott announced that he sent a letter to the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, restating that Texas will not impose the vaccine mandate implemented by the Biden Administration.

According to a press release, threatened to cut off federal funds for unvaccinated guardsmen last month.

“As Governor of Texas, I am the commander-in-chief of this State’s militia,” the letter said. “In that capacity, on October 4, 2021, I ordered the Adjutant General of Texas to comply with my Executive Order GA-39. If unvaccinated guardsmen suffer any adverse consequences within the State of Texas, they will have only President Biden and his Administration to blame. The State of Texas will not enforce this latest COVID-19 vaccine mandate against its guardsmen. If the federal government keeps threatening to defund the Texas National Guard, I will deploy every legal tool available to me as Governor in defense of these American heroes.”

In September, President Biden signed an executive order mandating that employees working in connection with a federal contract must be fully vaccinated. As of November 14, the order applied to new or renewed contracts October 15. The deadline to fully comply is January 18, 2022.

“We’ve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” Biden said. “The unvaccinated community can cause a lot of damage and they are.”

President Biden’s vaccine mandate clashes with Governor Abbott’s executive order that bans all public and private businesses in Texas from requiring employees to be vaccinated. This order was issued on Monday, October 11, and stated that the rule applied to any individual “who objects to such vaccination for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical reasons, including prior recovery from COVID-19.”

Governor Abbott also signed a previous law into effect prohibiting any Texas business from requiring showing proof of vaccination.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and our best defense against the virus,” said Abbott in a statement. “But should remain voluntary and never forced.”