[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7442-S7443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Government Spending

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I come to the floor today in support of 
our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line each day 
to defend our freedoms and our American way of life.
  Unfortunately, thousands of our heroes are about to lose those very 
freedoms that they have fought so hard to defend, as Joe Biden's 
vaccine mandate is threatening them with a dishonorable discharge 
should they choose not to get the COVID vaccine.
  Now, let me be clear, as a physician and a veteran, I am confident 
the vaccine has saved countless lives, and I encourage every veteran, 
every American to consider and to discuss with their physician getting 
that vaccine. I believe vaccinating our servicemembers, though, against 
COVID-19 is such a very, very important effort. But deep down inside, I 
am still this real doctor from Great Bend, KS, and I believe in the 
sanctity of the physician-patient relationship and that every one of 
our situations is unique.
  A soldier's clinical history is unique. There are pros and cons; 
there are risks and benefits of taking this vaccine. And each of our 
soldiers all are using common sense--the common sense that God has 
given them, and I respect their decisions. This administration should 
too.
  Right now, thousands of our servicemembers are not vaccinated. When 
it comes to our guardsmen and -women in Kansas, only 58 percent are 
fully or partially vaccinated--a number I am confident would hold true 
across the remainder of the country.
  Unfortunately, the policy out of the White House says that one size 
has to fit all; that there is no exception, even though we know that 
natural immunity to COVID is the same as, if not more powerful than, 
the vaccine.
  We have never asked people--especially military folks--to get a 
vaccine for a virus they are already immune to or a virus that doesn't 
affect them. It just doesn't make sense.
  Because of Joe Biden's vaccine mandate, thousands of American heroes 
are going to be separated from the service, and they are going to, 
perhaps, be given a dishonorable discharge.
  I want to make sure this body and the American people understand 
exactly what the significance of a dishonorable discharge is. Soldiers 
will lose access to medical benefits from the VA. They will lose access 
to home loans from the VA. They will lose access to the GI bill for 
further education. They will potentially lose their right to vote in 
some States. They will lose their Second Amendment rights and access to 
ammunition. They will lose military funeral honors. They will lose the 
ability to reenlist in another branch of military. And they will have 
an extremely difficult time finding employment.

[[Page S7443]]

  Getting a dishonorable discharge may be the worst checkmark you can 
get in your life--truly, a scarlet letter. These sort of repercussions 
sound like they should be reserved for felons. But, no, this is what 
Joe Biden wants to hand down to our servicemembers. This is insulting, 
and we must put a stop to it.
  For these reasons, I introduced legislation--the COVID-19 Vaccine 
Dishonorable Discharge Prevention Act--to prohibit the Department of 
Defense from dishonorably discharging American heroes who choose to not 
receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
  There is no question about it: American heroes should not be treated 
as felons because of their personal medical choices.
  This is one of a number of highly important issues for our national 
security that Leader Schumer and our colleagues across the aisle have 
to put on hold while they go back and forth on how to spend taxpayers' 
money on their radical agenda instead of finalizing the NDAA.
  The annual defense bill is the only authorizing legislation that 
Congress passes every year--60 years in a row, as a matter of fact--but 
this now is the fourth latest in history that it has been initially 
brought up for consideration on the Senate floor.
  Considering the foreign policy disasters this White House has 
created, one would think delivering a paycheck to our servicemembers 
and funding to increase our military's lethality would be top of mind.
  Our troops deserve better, and I am calling on Leader Schumer to 
bring the NDAA to the floor. Our American heroes deserve better than 
this, and we need to get to my amendment as soon as possible.
  I want to thank Senators Cruz, Lankford, Tuberville, Cramer, Johnson, 
Senators Rick Scott, Kennedy, and Senator Wicker for joining me in this 
important legislation.
  I look forward to continuing to work with them once we submit it as 
an amendment to the NDAA.
  I yield back.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Carolina.