Defense bill likely to include lifting military mandate for Covid vaccine, source says



CNN

Massive bill defense policy likely to end military mandate for Covid vaccineA source familiar with the talks tells CNN, on the heels of intense GOP lobbying to end the mandate and recognition from leading Democrats that it’s time for change.

The annual defense clearance bill is likely to be approved by Congress within the next two weeks. The text of the bill was expected to be released as early as Monday, but it has yet to be released and the timeline could be pushed back as lawmakers race to finalize the details of what it will include.

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy said over the weekend that President Joe Biden supports an initiative to end COVID-19 vaccination mandate, although White House officials say that’s an exaggeration.

The White House says it continues to support the vaccination mandate, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin confirmed Pentagon support for the order.

“Secretary Austin supports maintaining the vaccination mandate. The health and readiness of our forces is critical to our combat capability and is a top priority. I will not comment on potential or pending legislation,” Pentagon spokesman Brig said. Gene. This is stated in a statement by Patrick Ryder.

However, the movement on Capitol Hill highlights the action that is in play and driven by lawmakers acutely aware of the need to secure GOP votes for the annual defense policy measure.

This placed the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Adam Smith, a Democrat, is in a position to be the driving force behind a movement to change the direction of policy, even though the move is unlikely to gain momentum without the quiet approval of the White House.

It remains to be seen what Congress will do with the military personnel who were disciplined or denied service as a result of the mandate.

House GOP #2 Steve Scalise told Fox News on Monday: “We want to bring them back. There are a lot of young people who go to service academies and now they don’t go to these service academies either. There are the best and smartest high school graduates. You want them back too. And so we spoke to the military about getting a full assessment of all the people who were taken out.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday that the House will consider the defense bill “as early as next week.”

Schumer noted the reduction in the number of days left in the calendar year and said, “and we still have a lot to do,” pointing to the National Defense Authorization Act confirming more presidential nominees for President Joe Biden, as well as government funding. .