Crapo, Risch Protect Servicemembers from Biden’s COVID Vaccine Mandate

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Joni Ernst (R- Iowa), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Steve Daines (R-Montana) and John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) in successfully securing a provision in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to protect servicemembers from the Biden Administration’s COVID vaccine mandate.

“In the United States, the number of new servicemembers joining the military is reaching a near record low. The United States needs a strong military to protect our country against the growing threats facing our nation. We are pleased that the final conferenced bill includes language mirroring our amendments’ efforts to protect troops from being fired due to Biden’s COVID vaccine mandate without fair appeal and to the harm of service readiness,” said Senators Crapo, Risch, Blackburn, Marshall, Hyde-Smith, Braun, Fischer, Ernst, Tuberville, Daines and Hoeven.

BACKGROUND

• Senators Crapo, Risch, Blackburn, Cotton, Lankford, Braun, Hoeven, Hyde-Smith, Cruz, Ernst, Fischer, Marshall, Graham, Tuberville and Daines introduced a measure to the FY 2023 NDAA to ensure members of the National Guard or Reserve maintain access to pay and benefits while their request for a religious or health accommodation is pending.
• Senators Crapo, Risch, Blackburn, Cotton, Lankford, Braun, Hoeven, Hyde-Smith, Cruz, Ernst, Fischer, Marshall, Graham, Tuberville, and Daines introduced a measure to the FY 2023 NDAA to prohibit involuntary separation of any servicemember for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine until each Service achieves its end strength authorized by last year’s NDAA.