LINCOLN- Governor Pete Ricketts and governors from 20 states have joined together calling for Congress to block the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the military. The group of all Republican governors signed a letter to the top Republican and Democratic leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives, asking for action either through the National Defense Authorization Act or standalone legislation.

“The Biden vaccine mandate on our military creates a national security risk that severely impacts our defense capabilities abroad and our state readiness here at home,” the governors said in the letter. They claim that the injury caused by the mandate is that current service members are leaving the military and new recruits are not signing up in sufficient numbers to keep the National Guard and branches of the active duty armed forces at full strength.

The U.S. Army National Guard Chief announced recruiting is down by 10% and that 7,500 members have left. An additional 14,000 soldiers are being discharged for refusing to get the vaccine. Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, the Nebraska National Guard’s adjutant general, said the mandate could affect those already serving. Currently, 10.7% of Nebraska National Guard Troops were unvaccinated and multiple members decided to leave.

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