Cheney sides with vaccine mandates over military service members

Rep. Liz Cheney voted against a series of amendments that would have protected members of the military from the Biden administration’s vaccine mandates, repeatedly siding with Democrats during consideration of a key defense bill. Cheney cast the votes Wednesday during a House Armed Services Committee markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.

Cheney voted with Democrats against the following amendments that would have protected military members from Biden’s vaccine mandates:

• #1946 (Rep. Johnson): Would have repealed the waiver Congress granted for Secretary Austin to be secretary of defense unless he removes the vaccine mandate. The amendment was defeated 27-32, with Cheney and Democrats opposing.

• #1726 (Rep. Gaetz): Stated that service members separated due to COVID should be restored. The amendment was defeated 27-32, with Cheney and Democrats opposing.

• #2054 (Rep. Hartzler): Would have required the Department of Defense to consider natural immunity. The amendment was defeated 27-32, with Cheney and Democrats opposing.

• #2152 (Rep. Jackson): Would have exempted a cadet or midshipman from having to pay back tuition to the service academy if unvaccinated. The amendment was defeated 27-32, with Cheney and Democrats opposing.

• #2158 (Rep. Jackson): Would have prevented the president from denying a cadet a commission solely for refusing the vaccine. The amendment was defeated 27-31, with Cheney and Democrats opposing.

Harriet Hageman, Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Wyoming, issued the following statement:

“Add this to the list of reasons why Wyoming is fed up with Liz Cheney. She’s been Nancy Pelosi’s pawn for so long she’s actually siding with Democrats over the men and women of our military and service academies, so this goes beyond just her work on the January 6th Committee. In Wyoming, we take our individual liberties seriously and oppose government mandates of many kinds, particularly when it involves forcing people to take an injection against their will. It is unthinkable that Wyoming’s only member of the House wants to punish service members for exercising their right to bodily integrity, but this is what Liz Cheney has become. When I am the next congresswoman from Wyoming, I will always stand up for the individual liberties of our citizens and always fight for our men and women in uniform.”

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