The U.S. Senate has approved a National Defense Authorization Act that rescinds the Pentagon’s requirement that all troops receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office says it also brings a “renewed commitment to modernize Army equipment, keeping Kentucky’s Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division at the forefront of America’s air assault framework.”
It also includes the highest pay raise in twenty years for both military service members and Department of Defense civilian workers to address recruiting and retention problems.
Senator McConnell says, “Kentucky plays a key role in America’s national security and this bill only deepens our commitment. From landmark progress at the Blue Grass Army Depot, to support for servicemembers based at Kentucky’s Fort Knox and Fort Campbell, to renewed funding for drug eradication and 21st-century cybersecurity training, the provisions I helped secure in this bill will support Kentucky’s military heroes as they work to keep our country safe.”
The legislation now heads to the desk of President Biden for his signature.