U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) led other members of Congress and sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to oppose a reported COVID-19 vaccine mandate for service members.
The group of lawmakers argued the move by the Biden administration is illegal, largely due to the fact that the coronavirus vaccine has not received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“The law of the United States is clear. Mandatory vaccination is illegal for military personnel prior to complete approval (Doe v. Rumsfeld, 341 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2004). This has not occurred and could be another several months away,” the group argued in their letter.
The letter from the cohort of legislators follows numerous reports that Austin will announce on Friday that all 1.3 million service members will be required to get vaccinated.
“As long as the vaccine is authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization, the Department of Defense does not have the authority to implement such an order. Service members who do not wish to receive the vaccine cannot be required until the approval process is completed. Any action to require it is illegal. The Secretary of Defense is not above the law. The courts concurred,” the letter continues.
In the letter, Green contends that he believes the vaccines are safe and effective; however, service members may not be forced to take any vaccine that is solely authorized under an Emergency Use Authorization.
“We commend the men and women of the Department of Defense for their tireless efforts in spearheading Operation Warp Speed and developing this vaccine in record time and under immense pressure. Despite that, it is clear that the mandate that you are considering is an unprecedented violation of federal law. We urge you to reconsider and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you,” the letter ends.
— — —
Cooper Moran is a reporter for the Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
You always talk about supporting our troops. So, why don’t you want them vaccinated against Covid?
You say you love our troops. Then, why do you want them to die from Covid as a result of their not getting vaccinated?