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Arrington Addresses COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Repeal in NDAA

Washington, December 8, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Arrington (TX-19) released the following statement regarding the repeal of the Biden Administration’s military COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023. 

“I am proud that this NDAA not only gave our troops the resources necessary to be safe and successful, but repealed Biden’s disastrous vaccine mandate — an irresponsible and heavy-handed policy that ruined many careers and caused us to lose some of our best warriors,” said Rep. Arrington. 

Since the vaccine mandate went into effect, Biden’s Department of Defense has discharged over 8,000 active duty service members for refusing the vaccine, including:

  • 3,717 Marines (Of the 3,733 Marines who requested religious exemptions from the mandate, only 11 were granted.) 
  • 1,841 soldiers
  • 2,064 sailors 
  • 834 airmen
  • Potentially an additional 9,000 National Guard guardsmen 

This reckless COVID-19 vaccine mandate took place as the Army fell 15,000 soldiers short of their recruitment goal for Fiscal Year 2022, missing by 25 percent.

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