Last night, Democrats on the Rules Committee struck down Rep. Mark Green’s amendment to FY23’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment fought to protect National Guard and Reserve troops from being prohibited from paid training or education programs simply for their refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Rep. Green said, “Given the severe impacts on readiness from the tens of thousands of troops not being able to train, I fully expected Democrats on the Rules Committee to reach across the aisle and stand tall for our National Guard and Reserve troops. Sadly, that was only wishful thinking. The Biden Administration’s continued unwillingness to compromise or give our servicemembers the respect they deserve is extremely disappointing. Now, Congress has let these men and women down, too. Our National Guard and Reserve troops are the backbone of our national security. They shouldn’t be denied paid training or education programs for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. Now is not the time for setbacks in our Armed Forces. This move by Rules Committee Democrats is a slap in the face to the very ones who fight for us.”
Two weeks ago, the House Armed Services Committee passed its markup of the FY23 NDAA. Rep. Green successfully fought to include four key priorities: Increases in funding for Army on-base housing, Department of Defense reports addressing China and Russia’s malign activity in Latin America and the Caribbean, increased funding for a subterranean training facility for Special Operations Forces servicemembers, and a ban on products manufactured in or imported from China from being sold on military base exchanges.
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