A new defense bill is being worked out in Congress and it may include language which could overturn the Pentagon’s policy of all military personnel must be vaccinated for the Covid-19 virus.
According to the Democratic Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith, the final defense legislation may reinstate all those who decided not vaccinate themselves from Covid but nothing has been made official.
In an interview with Politico, Smith said, “We haven’t resolved it, but it is very fair to say that it’s in discussion.” He emphasized that at this time, it may not be logical to impose a mandate anymore.
Smith added, “I was a very strong supporter of the vaccine mandate when we did it, a very strong supporter of the Covid restrictions put in place by DoD and others. But at this point in time, does it make sense to have that policy from August 2021? That is a discussion that I am open to and that we’re having.”
The $847 billion defense bill is scheduled to be released on Monday with a possible vote occurring in the House next week.
Republicans have argued that forcing troops to get the vaccine or otherwise leave has only exacerbated the recruitment/retention crisis currently in the military. This issue was planned to be addressed in the new Congress when Republicans take control of the House, if it isn’t included in the current defense bill.
Republican negotiators have argued to reinstate dismissed members of the military with back pay however according to Rep. Smith, “The one thing that I was adamant about — so were others — is there’s going to be no reinstatement or back pay for the people who refused to obey the order to get the vaccine. Orders are not optional in the military. Now what the policy should be from this point forward? That’s a question we were willing to ask about.”