Congress to vote on military vaccination requirement

Congress could end the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for the military if it passes part of an annual defense bill that the House unveiled Tuesday. The National Defense Authorization bill is one of the final pieces of legislation that Congress is looking to wrap up before adjourning, and the House could vote on it sometime this week. Lawmakers such as Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, have said the vaccine requirement has discouraged military recruitment.

How much has the vaccine requirement hurt military recruitment, if at all? Military officials do think it discourages applicants, but they’re not sure how many. The COVID-19 vaccination requirement is one of a variety of factors. Recruiters lost access to schools and other events where they could find prospects during the pandemic and found online recruiting a poor substitute. Furthermore, only about 23 percent of young people can meet the military’s fitness, educational and moral requirements. Tattoos, criminal records, or medical issues disqualify many potential recruits.

Dig deeper: Listen to Myrna Brown’s discussion with retired U.S. Army Lt. General Thomas Spoehr on The World and Everything in It podcast about defense spending for Ukraine.