Compromise reached in the final version of funding.
Changes have been made to the National Defense Authorization Act that will end the U.S. military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and the separation of active-duty members who refuse it. While the president and his administration have continued to support the policy, members of the minority party were ready to hold up the defense funding based on the mandate.
Supporters of the end of the mandate point to the lower recruiting numbers and the reduction in the military’s forces as thousands of personnel who declined were released from service. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said, “While I applaud the end of this onerous mandate… [it] has already had negative consequences for our military.“
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that the president “continues to believe that all Americans, including those in the armed forces, should be vaccinated and boosted for Covid-19.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For members of Congress as they vote on the defense funding bill.
- For officials in the president’s administration as they continue to promote COVID vaccinations.
Sources: Politico, Washington Examiner, The Hill
