Today’s oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court about the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate produced a fascinating exchange, courtesy of Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Biden’s mandate seeks to use an OSHA workplace rule to force private employers with more than 100 employees to require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face regular testing. It would impact about 80 million workers.

Justice Barrett asked when the emergency ends. Simple, yet profound, and 100% on point.

It’s a question, by the way, that many of us have been asking Gov. Cooper as well.

Listen to the exchange, beginning with Justice Barrett’s question. Responding is Elizabeth Prelogar, the U.S. Solicitor General. Then Chief Justice John Roberts asks the attorney for the National Federal of Independent Business if he wants to respond. He does. You then hear Scott Keller make his argument against the mandate for employers. Finally, you will hear Chief Justice Roberts close the exchange.

LISTEN to the 4 1/2 minute exchange