House Republicans slam Biden admin for still mandating COVID-19 vaccines in military: 'no scientific reason'

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FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., a medical doctor, is joined by Republican Rep. Hudson of North Carolina in leading 19 other Republicans in a formal protest of the Biden administration regarding compulsory vaccination within the military in light of Dr. Fauci’s recent comments on the efficacy of vaccines, saying there is "no scientific reason."

In recent comments to Fox News, Fauci stated, "Even though it [the vaccine] didn’t protect me against infection, I feel confident that it made a major role in protecting me from progressing to severe disease." 

In response to these comments, the letter reads "With the waning efficacy and durability of vaccine-induced immunity, forcing service members who are by and large a healthy and not an ‘at risk’ population, to be inoculated with no certainty of preventing infection or spread, while concurrently sowing seeds of division and discord, is absolutely wrong." 

In August 2021 Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a statement declaring his intent to have the armed forces vaccinated "no later than mid September, or immediately upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensure [of a COVID19 vaccine], whichever comes first." The letter continues, "While there is precedent for service-wide vaccinations in the military, given this particular virus, and now in the era of therapeutics, this rationale no longer exists for COVID-19. If a service member were to become sick from the virus, medication can be administered immediately to treat the virus." 

CONSERVATIVES DISGUSTED AFTER FAUCI SAYS HIS ‘COMMON SENSE’ ADVICE ‘SAVED MILLIONS’: ‘ZERO HUMILITY’

Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., a medical doctor, and nearly two dozen House Republicans signed a letter to President Biden expressing concerns over the administration's "continued COVID-19 vaccine mandate for service members." (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"The Biden Administration has willfully and systematically degraded our nation’s readiness with their harmful, politicized, and completely unnecessary federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate," says Representative Murphy. "Forcing these patriots to get a vaccine — which even Dr. Fauci has conceded does not protect well against infection and can have potential serious side effects — is morally wrong and inconsistent with the science and the purpose of vaccination."

The Department of Defense currently reports 682,876 cases within the armed forces and approximately 689 deaths. The Air Force is currently preparing a new vaccine to be administered to the airmen while the Army Reserves reported 88% of their soldiers having received the full vaccination. 

Additionally, the Army Reserves stated that soldiers who are unvaccinated, and do not possess special exemption or pending status, will not receive pay for battle assemblies or musters. So far the reserves have relieved six commanders and have written 1,575 reprimands to soldiers for refusing the vaccine. 

THOUSANDS OF ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS WHO HAVEN'T GOTTEN COVID-19 VACCINE COULD BE FORCED OUT

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a statement in August 2021 declaring his intent to have the armed forces vaccinated "no later than mid September, or immediately upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensure [of a COVID19 vaccine], whichever comes first." ((AP Photo/Danial Hakim))

Rep. Murphy shares with Fox News Digital that "unnecessarily discharging our selfless and dedicated service members, in whom we have invested millions and millions in training and equipment, for refusing to get the vaccine is an insult to those who defend our freedoms, compromises operational readiness, and severely hurts recruiting efforts during a time of heightened global conflict."

The letter concludes, "Lastly, given the heightened increase in global tensions, such actions that degrade our military preparedness for no significant reason whatsoever, places the security of the United States at a significant disadvantage. With Russia’s despicable assault on Ukraine, China’s continued economic espionage, as well as Iran’s unmitigated nuclear ambitions, your administration is effectively handcuffing our nation’s ability to respond to global threats." 

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Representatives Murphy and Hudson finish by stating, "There is simply no scientific reason or national interest to continue this absurdity. We urge you to immediately withdraw the federal COVID-19 mandate on our service members." 

The letter includes signatures from Reps. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Byron Donalds of Florida, Mayra Flores of Texas, and Brian Mast of Florida, among others.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.