Washington, D.C – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall's legislation to prevent service members from receiving a dishonorable discharge for choosing to not get the COVID vaccine was signed into law Monday by President Joe Biden as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), according to a statement from Marshall's office.
In total, Senator Marshall secured 14 NDAA wins in his first year as a U.S. Senator to protect our national security.
“As a former Army doctor, I am proud the NDAA was signed into law and included my amendment to ensure service members will be protected from a dishonorable discharge for choosing not to get the COVID vaccine. Simply put, a dishonorable discharge treats our heroes as felons. But, our American heroes deserve better,” said Senator Marshall. “I support the vaccine, but I also support those who are defending our freedoms and have carefully weighed their decision on whether to receive it. With the NDAA having been signed into law, our service men and women have medical freedom they rightly deserve.”
Senator Marshall’s NDAA Wins:
In addition to his amendment protecting unvaccinated service members from receiving a dishonorable discharge, Senator Marshall secured various wins in the NDAA that champion Kansas military communities and advance America’s defense capabilities, including provisions to:
· Require the Department of Defense to establish uniform standards under which service members may be exempted from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for administrative, medical, or religious reasons;
· Require the Department of Defense to consider the effects of natural immunity in setting medical standards, as well as whether the service member is approaching retirement when setting the administrative exemption standards;
· Prohibit the Department of Defense from working with EcoHealth Alliance, Inc., a non-profit that funneled taxpayer dollars to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, to conduct research supported by the Chinese government;
· Prohibit any reduction in the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles or retiring or reconverting our low-yield nuclear warheads at a time when China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal;
· Fully fund the modernization of our nuclear triad, including Ground Based Strategic Deterrent.