Biden Opposes Amendment to Block Bad Discharges for US Service Members Declining Vaccine

The Biden administration came out in opposition to an amendment in the 2022 National Defense Authorization that would block the Department of Defense from giving service members who decline the coronavirus vaccine anything but an honorable discharge. 

The House Armed Services Committee had passed an amendment called Section 716 to the act on Tuesday, mandating that service members who are discharged for declining the vaccine receive honorable discharges. 

“The Administration strongly opposes section 716, which would detract from readiness and limit a commander’s options for enforcing good order and discipline when a Service member fails to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccination,” the White House Office of Management and Budget in a statement following the amendment’s passage.