The final version of the National Defense Authorization Act is “likely” to rescind Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s August 2021 memo requiring all service members to get the COVID-19 vaccine, CQ reported Tuesday morning, citing “a source familiar with the matter.”
The provision would be a win for Republicans, who have argued that Austin’s mandate is unfair. Both the Pentagon and the White House have come out against adding the reversal to the NDAA, even as Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger said over the weekend that the mandate is slowing recruitment, especially in the South, as Marine Corps Times reported.
Negotiators working on the final NDAA hope to release the language as soon as today for House consideration later this week.
National Guard photo by A. Danielle Thomas
