House Passes $858B Defense Bill That Ends Military COVID Vaccine Mandate

U.S Marines On Okinawa Receive Coronavirus Vaccination

Photo: Getty Images

The House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act to fund the military for the next year by a vote of 350-80.

The vote was initially scheduled for Wednesday (December 7), but lawmakers postponed it after a last-minute effort by the Congressional Black Caucus to add the John Lewis Voting Rights Act to the "must-pass" bill. 

While the attempt to add that to the $858 billion bill failed, it does include a provision to eliminate the military's COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all active duty service members. While many Democrats were not in favor of lifting the mandate, Republicans forced the issue and threatened to hold up the bill indefinitely.

The 4,000-page bill now heads to the Senate. Once the legislation clears the Senate, it will head to the desk of Joe Biden. While Biden has voiced his opposition to eliminating the vaccine mandate for members of the military, he is expected to sign the bill to ensure that military members will be paid next year.


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