Biden administration mulls ending U.S. navy COVID-19 vaccine mandate By Reuters

By David Morgan and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden’s administration is mulling a proposal from Republican chief Kevin McCarthy to repeal the U.S. navy’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the White Home mentioned on Saturday.

McCarthy, who’s vying to grow to be speaker of the U.S. Home of Representatives, earlier advised Fox Information he had gained bipartisan settlement to raise the mandate at a White Home assembly with Biden, Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican chief Mitch McConnell.

McCarthy mentioned it might be repealed as a part of the must-pass $817 billion Nationwide Protection Authorization Act, or NDAA, an annual invoice setting coverage for the Pentagon that’s anticipated to cross the Senate and Home of Representatives this month.

However the White Home mentioned Biden had agreed solely to think about the concept.

“Chief McCarthy raised this with the president and the president advised him he would contemplate it,” mentioned White Home spokesperson Olivia Dalton. “The secretary of protection has really helpful retaining the mandate, and the president helps his place. Discussions in regards to the NDAA are ongoing.”

The mandate, which was imposed in August 2021, requires all U.S. service members to be vaccinated towards COVID-19.

” what I used to be in a position to obtain in that assembly? To have the ability (to) – we’ll see within the NDAA – raise the vaccination mandate on our navy women and men,” McCarthy, the highest Home Republican, mentioned within the interview, which aired late on Friday.

“I do know I’ll get that,” McCarthy mentioned. “We’re working it out proper now. I imagine we’re … going to get that.”

There was no fast remark from the opposite three congressional leaders on the assembly.

The Pentagon’s vaccine mandate has been the thing of intense opposition from Republican conservatives, together with a number of Home lawmakers who’re threatening to dam McCarthy from changing into speaker when Republicans take management of the chamber on Jan. 3.

In response to Protection Division information, 3,717 Marines, 1,816 troopers and a pair of,064 sailors have been discharged for refusing to get vaccinated. However federal courts this yr have blocked navy providers from punishing personnel who’ve refused the vaccines on non secular grounds.

McCarthy introduced the vaccine mandate deal as an indication of how he would lead the Home as speaker. He additionally rebutted conservative criticism over his attendance at a White Home state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron.

“That is the issues that we’ll have with the brand new Republican majority,” McCarthy advised Fox Information.

“If any person desires to argue about whether or not I am going to signify this nation proper and respect the very first ally that helped us create this nation, I do not assume they’ve their hearts in the appropriate place.”