The White House insists that U.S. military service members would be better “prepared” for “service” if they continue to be forced to receive five injections of the COVID-19 vaccine, which do not prevent individuals from catching or spreading the coronavirus.
During a White House press briefing on Wednesday, Joe Biden’s Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre lamented the news that Congress may lift the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for troops, emphasizing the administration’s view that unwilling soldiers should be forced to undergo a multitude of experimental injections to fight COVID-19 — and apparently war.
“Republicans in Congress have decided that they’d rather fight against health and well-being of our troops than protecting them, and we believe that it is a mistake,” she told reporters.
Watch the exchange on Spreely.video:
“Making sure our troops are prepared and ready for service is a priority for President Biden. The vaccination requirement for COVID does just that.”
The Biden administration’s harsh COVID-19 vaccine mandate for service members is set to be rescinded under the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is scheduled for a vote in Congress this week.
The move comes amid concerns that the injection requirement may have hindered military recruitment and retention efforts, as seen in the case of the Army, which missed its recruiting goal by roughly 25% this year.
The development comes on the heels of Republican midterm victories that will soon allow the party to regain control of the House of Representatives, with House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy personally lobbying Biden to lift the mandate.
“We have real recruitment and retention problems across all services. This was gas on the fire exacerbating our existing problem,” Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) said. “And the president said, you know, the pandemic is over. It’s time for us to recognize that and remove this unnecessary policy.”
This news and commentary by Andrew White originally appeared on Valiant News.
