The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is considering ordering federal employees to prove that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Also under consideration are requirements for regular testing and wearing of face coverings or masks. The possible actions would represent a major policy change as concerns grow about the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus. A person who knows about the plans spoke to the Associated Press but asked not to be identified. The person said the possible official order, or mandate, for vaccination could be put in place even if an area does not have a high rate of transmission of the virus. Administration officials are expected to release their final decision this week. The Office of Management and Budget says that in 2020 there were more than 4.2 million federal workers including those in the military. Biden suggested on Tuesday that expanding a vaccination requirement to all federal workers was “under consideration.” He offered no additional details. The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday became the first federal agency to require vaccinations for its health workers. On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, changed its guidelines for mask wearing. It recommended that all Americans living in areas with “substantial and high transmission” rates of COVID-19 should wear masks indoors whether they have been vaccinated or not. Masks are now required at the White House again. And an assistant to Vice President Kamala Harris asked reporters to wear masks during Harris’s meeting with Native American leaders on voting issues. The recent information from the CDC says that Washington, D.C. has a substantial transmission rate of COVID-19. In addition to the White House, masks also are being required in the House of Representatives. The Capitol’s Attending Physician Brian Monahan required masks for all individuals whether or not they had been vaccinated when entering rooms in the House area. Earlier rules that fined representatives can be put in place again, reports say. In the Senate, however, masks are recommended but not required. Biden dismissed concerns that the new mask guidance from the CDC would create confusion among Americans. He said people who remain unvaccinated are the ones causing problems.
Title: Reports Say Biden Considering Federal Vaccination Requirement
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Reports Say Biden Considering Federal Vaccination Requirement' data-article-id='5814'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='11813'>The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is considering ordering federal employees to prove that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19. </span> <span data-start-time='11813' data-end-time='21604'>Also under consideration are requirements for regular testing and wearing of face coverings or masks.</span> <span data-start-time='21604' data-end-time='34979'>The possible actions would represent a major policy change as concerns grow about the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus.</span> <span data-start-time='34979' data-end-time='43854'>A person who knows about the plans spoke to the Associated Press but asked not to be identified. </span> <span data-start-time='43854' data-end-time='58792'>The person said the possible official order, or mandate, for vaccination could be put in place even if an area does not have a high rate of transmission of the virus. </span> <span data-start-time='58792' data-end-time='65833'>Administration officials are expected to release their final decision this week.</span> <span data-start-time='65833' data-end-time='79854'>The Office of Management and Budget says that in 2020 there were more than 4.2 million federal workers including those in the military.</span> <span data-start-time='79854' data-end-time='91125'>Biden suggested on Tuesday that expanding a vaccination requirement to all federal workers was “under consideration.” </span> <span data-start-time='91125' data-end-time='95250'>He offered no additional details. </span> <span data-start-time='95250' data-end-time='107979'>The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday became the first federal agency to require vaccinations for its health workers.</span> <span data-start-time='107979' data-end-time='118771'>On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, changed its guidelines for mask wearing.</span> <span data-start-time='118771' data-end-time='136646'>It recommended that all Americans living in areas with “substantial and high transmission” rates of COVID-19 should wear masks indoors whether they have been vaccinated or not.</span> <span data-start-time='136646' data-end-time='141125'>Masks are now required at the White House again. </span> <span data-start-time='141125' data-end-time='154958'>And an assistant to Vice President Kamala Harris asked reporters to wear masks during Harris’s meeting with Native American leaders on voting issues. </span> <span data-start-time='154958' data-end-time='167417'>The recent information from the CDC says that Washington, D.C. has a substantial transmission rate of COVID-19.</span> <span data-start-time='167417' data-end-time='176292'>In addition to the White House, masks also are being required in the House of Representatives.</span> <span data-start-time='176292' data-end-time='192604'>The Capitol’s Attending Physician Brian Monahan required masks for all individuals whether or not they had been vaccinated when entering rooms in the House area. </span> <span data-start-time='192604' data-end-time='201313'>Earlier rules that fined representatives can be put in place again, reports say.</span> <span data-start-time='201313' data-end-time='208896'>In the Senate, however, masks are recommended but not required.</span> <span data-start-time='208896' data-end-time='219979'>Biden dismissed concerns that the new mask guidance from the CDC would create confusion among Americans. </span> <span data-start-time='219979' data-end-time='227854'>He said people who remain unvaccinated are the ones causing problems.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=17878 data-hint-location='118771' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/what_does_substantial_mean.wav'>What does substantial mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='large in amount or number'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/at_or_to_a_short_distance_away.wav'><span>at or to a short distance away</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/feeling_afraid.wav'><span>feeling afraid</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/large_in_amount_or_number.wav'><span>large in amount or number</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/of_recent_origin_or_arrival.wav'><span>of recent origin or arrival</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=17879 data-hint-location='21604' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/what_is_the_name_of_the_highly_infectious_variant_of_covid19.wav'>What is the name of the highly infectious variant of COVID-19?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Delta'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/delta.wav'><span>Delta</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/theta.wav'><span>Theta</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/dharma.wav'><span>Dharma</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/pox.wav'><span>Pox</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=17880 data-hint-location='219979' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/he_said_people_who_remain__blank__are_the_ones_causing_problems.wav'>He said people who remain <span class='blank'>unvaccinated</span> are the ones causing problems.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='unvaccinated'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/rhubarb.wav'><span>rhubarb</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/swimming.wav'><span>swimming</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/outdoors.wav'><span>outdoors</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5230/unvaccinated.wav'><span>unvaccinated</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button 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