In August President Joe Biden announced a Wuhan coronavirus vaccine mandate for all members of the U.S. military.
"I strongly support Secretary Austin's message to the force today on the Department of Defense's plan to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the list of required vaccinations for our service members not later than mid-September," Biden said at the time.
Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin did not directly say they support dishonorable discharges for non-compliance, but opposed a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that required an honorable discharge for refusing the shot.
"The White House said it 'strongly opposes' a provision in the 2022 defense spending bill that would block the Pentagon from dishonorably discharging a service member who refuses to get the COVID-19 vaccine," Fox News reported in September. "A section in the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act would limit military commanders' options for disciplining those who fail to comply with the vaccination mandate, the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a statement of administration policy Wednesday."
Today, the $768 billion National Defense Authorization Act was sent to Biden's desk with the provision requiring honorable discharges. He plans on signing it.
NEW: Defense bill expected to be passed by the Senate today includes section prohibiting the dishonorable discharge of members of the military who refuse the vaccine pic.twitter.com/IjKfWVrDZK
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 15, 2021
Republicans Senators led the charge to make sure military members would still receive their benefits.