This upcoming Sunday, the people of Venezuela will hold an election that, if legitimate, would put an end to years of the oppressive Maduro narco-regime. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued a statement in support of the Venezuelan people: “The...
NOTICIAS
Últimas Noticias
Rubio: “La Tenacidad y Valentía del Pueblo venezolano Estarán a la Vista”
Este próximo domingo, el pueblo venezolano tendrá una elección que, de ser legítima, pondría fin a años de opresión por parte del narco-régimen de Maduro. El senador estadounidense Marco Rubio (R-FL) grabó un mensaje de video en español y emitió una declaración en...
Rubio, Scott, Colleagues to Biden Admin: No Privileges Should Be Given to 9/11 Terrorist
Twenty-three years ago, the United States was attacked by Islamic terrorists on September 11, 2001. Now, Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person convicted in a U.S. court for his role in the attack, has requested the U.S. Department of Justice to allow a prisoner transfer...
Next Week: Rubio Staff Hosts Mobile Office Hours
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host virtual Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of Senator Rubio’s...
Rubio, Colleagues Introduce Ensuring Continuity in Veterans’ Health Act
As the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) opens up new facilities, many veterans are losing access to the VA’s Community Care Program and, consequently, their long-term healthcare providers. Veterans throughout the country have reported a loss of care, including...
Rubio Introduces Bill to Strengthen U.S.-India Security Partnership
The U.S.-India partnership is vital to countering influences from Communist China. In order to strengthen this partnership, it is essential to enhance our strategic diplomatic, economic, and military relationship with New Delhi. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)...
Rubio, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Air Force Cadets, Midshipmen From Being Punished for Not Receiving Covid-19 Vaccine
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and colleagues introduced the Defending Freedom of Conscience for Cadets and Midshipmen Act. The legislation would protect cadets and midshipmen at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy from being punished for their choice to not receive the COVID-19 vaccine. USAFA recently announced that unvaccinated seniors would not be commissioned. Cadets and midshipmen who do not commission could be forced to repay tuition, room, and board expenses for their time at the Academy. Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Steve Daines (R-MT) are original cosponsors. U.S. Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO) will introduce companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“It is outrageous to punish young men and women who want nothing more than to serve their nation,” Rubio said. “These are the types of ridiculous, unnecessarily punitive measures that discourage patriotic Americans from joining the military. The Academy should stop playing politics and focus on preparing cadets and midshipmen for their future service.”
“Joe Biden’s outrageous and plain mean-spirited vaccine tyranny knows no bounds – now punishing aspiring heroes who have earned the honor of joining the officer ranks,” Marshall said. “I’m thankful to Senator Rubio for leading this effort to protect these patriotic Americans.”
“The decision to end promising military careers solely based on a COVID vaccine seems punitive and another example of clumsy government overreach,” Hyde-Smith said. “The cadets and midshipmen at our service academies are among the brightest in the country, and they shouldn’t be dismissed so flippantly.”
“It is shameful to punish these cadets and diminish their commitment to serve our nation over a single personal health decision,” Scott said. “I am proud to join Senator Rubio on this common sense measure to protect the cadets and midshipmen of our nation’s service academies.”
“Forcing our brave young men and women preparing to serve our nation to violate their consciences and religious beliefs is ridiculous and completely un-American. Military academies should be focused on training their cadets and midshipmen, not imposing top-down COVID-19 vaccine mandates,” Cramer said.
“The dedicated cadets and midshipmen at our military service academies deserve nothing short of our admiration and support for their decision to serve their country at a young age,” Lamborn said. “It is unfortunate that political leadership in the U.S. Department of Defense is seeking to penalize these brave Americans by preventing them from graduating or serving in the military. They are even considering asking them to pay back hundreds of thousands in tuition. It is an honor to stand up for the constitutional rights of these young men and women, and I look forward to introducing this bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
Specifically, the Defending Freedom of Conscience for Cadets and Midshipmen Act would:
- Clarify that cadets and midshipmen cannot be denied graduation for not being vaccinated against COVID-19;
- Prevent cadets and midshipmen from being dismissed from their service academy as a result of refusing to be vaccinated (i.e. for disciplinary reasons for refusing the order to be vaccinated); and
- Prevent any cadet who is not allowed to commission due to their COVID-19 vaccination status from being subject to repayment claims.