The government “absolutely” has the right to know citizens’ vaccination status, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

“The federal government has spent trillions of dollars to try and keep Americans alive during this pandemic,” Becerra said Thursday on CNN, according to The Hill.

“So it is absolutely the government’s business, it is taxpayers’ business, if we have to continue to spend money to try and keep people from contracting COVID.”

When pressed whether the Biden administration would push to require proof for vaccinations, Becerra said states and local governments should decide that.