Congress reviews sweeping bipartisan defense funding bill with major shifts in policy | PBS NewsHour

"Currently, members of the military have — are mandated to take the — to be fully vaccinated. That began in 2021. This bill under a compromise reached something, Republicans pushed for — I'm sorry — there are some 8,000 people have been discharged from the military from all branches for refusing to be fully vaccinated. 

 This bill would change that, end that mandate within 30 days of this bill becoming law. And it would, however, not reinstate those who have already been discharged. This is obviously a subject that crosses cultural and public health debates. But it is something that some Republicans pushed for hard, especially raising those cases of the 8,000 service members who have been discharged for refusing to be fully vaccinated. 

 It is something Democrats did not want to give up. And, in fact, we heard from the Pentagon today they think this is a mistake. They think that this could affect the readiness of some of the troops."

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/congress-reviews-sweeping-bipartisan-defense-funding-bill-with-major-shifts-in-policy