By Jarrett Renshaw and Alexandra Alper

(Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden plans to travel to Chicago to meet with United Airlines Chief Executive and local Democratic leaders. Biden, who is promoting his decision to impose COVID-19 mandatory vaccines on large-firm employees, said the White House.

Biden issued an order last month for all federal employees and contractors to be immunized, with very few exceptions. He also ordered private employers that employ 100 people or more to mandate weekly vaccination or testing.

This controversial move was resisted by high-profile Republican governors, including Henry McMaster of South Carolina and Ron DeSantis in Florida. They vowed to resist the government’s “to the gates hell” move.

Biden intends to focus on what he sees as local success stories. This includes Lori Lightfoot, the Chicago mayor, setting an October deadline for employees to become fully vaccinated. United, based in Chicago, is also required to immunize all its staff.

“The President’s message will be clear: Vaccination requirements work,” the White House said in an emailed statement, previewing the visit. The statement said that such mandates help “end the pandemic, strengthen the economy and get more people vaccinated.”

Lightfoot, United CEO Scott Kirby (NYSE :), Biden is accompanied by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. Pritzker had announced that students eligible for vaccinations and employees of schools in Illinois were required to have them done so.

Biden’s announcement of his mandate was an important moment in the struggle to manage the pandemic that has claimed more than 69,000 lives. A large portion of America refused to receive vaccinations even though they were available for several months.

The White House claims that the mandate covers more than 100 million U.S. workers and will affect approximately two thirds of U.S. workforce. It is written partly by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

A highly contagious Delta version of COVID-19, which is extremely contagious, has created an increased risk for the nation and the president. He ran on promises of a pandemic-controlling presidency. Biden’s approval rating has dropped since July when he stated that the United States is “closer than ever” to declaring its independence from a deadly disease.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Director Rochelle Walensky, stated that while hospitalizations and instances have decreased on average over seven days ago, she cautioned that deaths, which are a lagging indicator at 1,400 daily, remain stable.

Biden will also be visiting an Elk Grove Village construction site being constructed by Clayco. The White House stated that Clayco plans to introduce a program of testing and vaccinations for its employees.