For action: Congressman Billy Long (R-MO) is working to f | F4V

For action:

Congressman Billy Long (R-MO) is working to force a vote on H.R. 3860, which would prohibit any requirement that a member of the armed forces be vaccinated against their will or conscience. If his petition is signed by at least 218 members, the bill will be discharged from committee and brought to the floor of the House of Representatives. As of this morning, 82 Representatives has signed the petition. You can see if your Representative has done so by going here

https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/20211101?CongressNum=117

If your representative has not gotten behind this effort, I would encourage you to write and urge them to do so. You can find and contact your U.S. Representative here.

https://www.house.gov/representatives

And for you consideration, here is an example template to use or just copy/paste in your letter....



Dear Sir,

I am writing to urge you to join Congressman Billy Long (R-MO) in his effort to force a vote on H.R. 3860, which would prohibit any requirement that a member of the armed forces receive a vaccination against COVID-19.

From my personal experience, as well as that of countless fellow service men and women, I can tell you that this issue is wreaking havoc across the force.

Many service members have sincerely held religious beliefs that drive moral objections to the available vaccines. Conscientious individuals have sought religious accommodation in accordance with U.S. law, DoD instructions, and service-specific orders, but to my knowledge none have been approved.

Other service members have legitimate medical concerns that align with the concerns expressed by the FDA regarding the unknown risks associated with myocarditis and pericarditis, as outlined in its Biologics License Application (BLA) for Pfizer’s COMIRNATY vaccine. Some service members have pre-existing medical conditions that may be exacerbated by this vaccine, the actual potential of which is unknown due to inadequate time and testing of the available vaccines.

In virtually every case, whether based in religious or medical hesitancy, the concerns of service members are being brushed aside with a cavalier dismissal that fails to honor their service or their humanity.

The spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional strain of this situation extends far beyond the service member. It is affecting the spouses and family members as well. The unlawful enforcement of an impossible requirement with total disregard to an individual’s moral or medical concerns, while simultaneously threatening the “non-compliant” with a loss livelihood and future security, poses a direct threat to the both service members and their families who have already sacrificed so much to defend this country during the last two decades of war.

As you well know, veteran suicide is becoming increasingly prevalent, and it is still on the rise. With the recent collapse of Afghanistan already causing many to question the purpose and meaning of their lifetime of service, the government's callous refusal to acknowledge their concerns, and its stubborn unwillingness to accommodate them when it is so obviously and easily possible, and then casting them aside without thought or care, could easily become the impetus for even higher rates of veteran suicide in coming months and years. These men and women (and their families) have given everything to the service of their country, with a demonstrated willingness to lay down their lives if necessary in its defense. Given the deposits these brave men and women have made with their blood, their limbs, and their lives, the country and the Department of Defense would not bankrupt itself by extending some grace and deference in this instance.

If given the ultimatum, many service members are willing to separate from the military (whether legally or administratively) rather than compromise their convictions or their health to an unproven, incompletely tested, legally problematic, and morally objectionable vaccine.