US President Biden signs $858B defense spending bill that lifts Pentagon vaccine mandate

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden on Friday signed into law a nearly $858 billion defense spending bill to fund the Defense Department and set national security policies for fiscal year 2023, but includes ending a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that Biden would rather keep.

Biden said in a statement following his approval that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) “provides vital benefits and enhances access to justice for military personnel and their families, and includes critical authorities to support our country’s national defense, foreign affairs, and homeland security.”

The US Senate passed the NDAA last week with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 83-11, following a similar bipartisan approval from the House of Representatives as lawmakers prepare to go on winter recess, with some not slated to return from break, as a new Congress is set to start on Jan. 3.

The must-pass defense spending package contains a multitude of provisions, including increased spending to bolster Ukraine's defense against Russian forces in Ukraine, and rescinds the Pentagon's COVID-19 vaccination mandate, an action adamantly opposed by both Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The legislation directs Austin to reverse course on his August 2021 memorandum mandating the action.

Democrat Jack Reed, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he opposes lifting the "legal and binding order," adding that "mandatory vaccination is not a new issue for military personnel," who in fact are required to take numerous vaccines when entering service.

Amendments introduced in the House that would have made sales of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye contingent on a series of conditions were removed from the bill early this month.

The omnibus spending bill has a broad array of items, including boosting military basic pay 4.6%, mandating the Pentagon to transition non-tactical vehicle fleets to zero-emissions vehicles, and authorizing $131.7 million in spending for defense research at historically Black colleges and universities.

It also mandates that the Pentagon establish a Civilian Protection Center of Excellence to standardize and improve policies geared toward reducing civilian harm in the Pentagon's military operations and authorizes $25 million for execution of the plan.

On Ukraine, the bill allocates $800 million to fund what is known as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which supports and aids Ukraine's armed forces and includes more than $6 billion to bolster US military operations in Europe.