Biden's Trip To Chicago, Suburbs Back On: Report

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL — President Joe Biden has rescheduled his previously canceled trip to the Chicago suburbs for this Thursday, according to the White House.

Biden will travel to the suburbs to push businesses to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for workers, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Originally, Biden was scheduled to visit Elk Grove Village on Sept. 29 but stayed in Washington instead to work on infrastructure negotiations between the U.S. House and Senate. He is now expected to encourage larger Illinois employers to require vaccinations from workers or a weekly COVID-19 test, according to White House officials.

The push follows new executive orders requiring all federal workers and contractors to get vaccinated. New Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules mandate private employers with 100 or more employees to require the same.

It's not clear if Biden will visit the Elk Grove Village data center where he was previously scheduled to speak or United Airlines' Chicago office.

Before Biden canceled his original trip, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the purpose of Biden's visit was to communicate with the entire country.

"He wants to lift up and communicate not to just people of Chicago, but the people of the country about the effectiveness of vaccine mandates — how they can work for businesses, how they can make workplaces safer, and how they can be constructive to our economy," Psaki said.

Biden last visited the Chicago area in July to discuss his infrastructure bill at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.