Lankford joins effort to block VA from illegally providing abortion services

Lankford, Colleagues Push Effort to Block Illegal VA Abortion Rule

WASHINGTON, DC (Feb. 8th) – Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Representative Michael Cloud (R-TX), along with more than 65 colleagues, introduced a bicameral joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to nullify an illegal US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rule that provides abortion services through the taxpayer-funded VA health care system. The CRA gives Congress the authority to review major rules issued by federal agencies. If Congress disapproves of a rule via resolution, the rule will have no force or effect under the law.

Lankford joins effort to prohibit Dishonorable Discharge for unvaxxed soldiers

Lankford, Marshall, Cruz, Tuberville Want to Prohibit Dishonorable Discharge for Unvaccinated Service members

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford, joined Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) in introducing the COVID-19 Vaccine Dishonorable Discharge Prevention Act to prohibit the Department of Defense (DOD) from giving service members a dishonorable discharge for choosing not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The House Armed Services Committee recently passed similar language led by Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) in an amendment to the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This legislation comes on the heels of President Biden mandating millions of Americans—including service members—to get vaccinated and the DOD issuing guidance stating that soldiers who refuse the vaccine will face “administrative or non-judicial punishment [under UCMJ] – to include relief of duties or discharge.”

Yesterday, Lankford demanded Biden reverse his policy on vaccine mandates and asked specific questions on protections for employees who request religious and medical accommodations as well as on the impact of employees with natural immunity. Lankford is calling on the Department of Defense to not force service members to choose between their sincerely held religious beliefs and serving in our nation’s military when it comes to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.