Why I'm demanding an end to the military vaccine mandate

My remarks today on refusing to vote for the defense authorization bill until the vaccine mandate on our military is ended.

Our young men and women in the military deserve better. The Biden administration's vaccination mandate has forced our nation's young patriotic men and women to choose between their faith and their career, between their medical autonomy and their career. At a time when the military is struggling to meet their targets for recruitment, the Biden administration is firing soldiers we invested in and trained.

Some will argue that the vaccine mandate in the military is not new. That is correct. But there are several factors unique to the COVID vaccine that make it different than other mandates.

SCOOP w/ @TylerOlson1791: GOP senators led by @RandPaul @SenRickScott demand vote on military vaccine mandate in exchange for advancing NDAA.https://t.co/KoYk24gPzt

— Kelly Laco (@kelly_laco) November 30, 2022

First, the CDC acknowledges that the COVID vaccine does not stop transmission so the argument that the mandate will stop incapacitating spread in the close quarters of the military is not applicable. Second, The COVID vaccine has a risk of causing inflammation, particularly in young men, particularly the young men that comprise over 90% of our military recruits. In addition, several scientific studies, including a very large one in Israel and another one by the CDC have shown that a heightened risk of myocarditis for children and teenagers. After taking a second COVID vaccine dose, Israel saw elevated rates of myocarditis after young men were vaccinated, particularly after the second dose because of the scientific evidence. European countries began restricting the vaccine for certain age groups. Germany France, Denmark, Finland and Sweden all limit their recommendations for vaccines for young people, Norway, South Africa and UK chose not to recommend or chose to recommend only one dose because of the risk of myocarditis.

Dr. Paul Offit, a former member of the CDC’s advisory committee on vaccines, part of the FDA’s advisory committee on vaccines, resigned over this policy. He also said that even though he's pro-vaccine, he's been pro everything vaccine for 40 years, that he wouldn't give the vaccine to his 24 year old son. Third, the mandate ignores naturally acquired immunity. 80% of our young military recruits have had COVID by compelling the young people to inject a vaccine into their bodies. They're accepting a risk of myocarditis. In fact it is inadvisable to take a vaccine. If you've recently had COVID, even the CDC admits this.

Our service members have spent their entire lives dedicated to protecting our country and making sacrifices to defend the constitution. Congress should take action. We're taking action today by saying we will not vote to get on the NDAA, the defense authorization bill, unless we have a vote on ending this military vaccine mandate.