Repeal of Military Shot Mandate Is Not Enough

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate passed 83-11 the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an $858 billion bill that funds national defense and rescinds the military's COVID shot mandate. However, the Senate defeated 54-40 an amendment to reinstate service members who were already separated or had their benefits cut for not receiving the COVID injection. Repealing the shot mandate is not enough. The Department of Defense (DOD) has gone on record stating that service members who applied for a religious accommodation (which is their right under the law) set a bad example and undermined military readiness. In other words, those who give their lives to defend the Constitution and the laws of the land should be punished for requesting that their rights be protected under the very laws they defend.