#combat readiness

"I told the President, I was very clear from the very beginning," McCarthy said. "If he wants the NDAA, you have got to lift the vaccinate mandate on our military men and women. Why? They are not meeting the recruitment goals right now because of this. People are leaving."

McCarthy also called for Republicans to stop working with the Democrats as they would soon control Congress and McCarthy would become Majority Leader.

"We are 28 days away from Republicans holding the gavel. We would be stronger in every negotiation. So any Republican that is out there trying to work with them is wrong. Why would you not wait. Why would you want to work on anything if we have the gavel inside Congress. Wait till we are in charge. I told the President if we don't have the lifting of the vaccine, I'll do it in January."

Other Republicans have also voiced their displeasure about this requirement in the bill.

Senator Marsha Blackburn said that Republicans will work to ensure that the NDAA won't allow service members to be fired for not being vaccinated against COVID.

Speaking on Fox News on Friday she said: "What Republicans are doing is working to be certain that we get included in the [NDAA] the ability to keep [the Department of Defense] from firing our men and women in uniform because they are not taking a COVID shot.

RANGE OF VACCINATIONS

Blackburn went on to insinuate that the vaccine is "not like" any other well-known vaccinations, like the one for polio, but didn't elaborate. Members of the U.S. armed forces notably receive an extensive array of vaccinations before they are able to serve.

As many as nine vaccinations are already mandatory for all service members to have before initial entry or basic training. This includes adenovirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal, poliovirus, tetanus-diphtheria, varicella.

More vaccinations, in addition to these, are administered depending on the risk and occupation of the person. Service members can request to opt out of a mandatory vaccination on health, administrative or religious grounds. These exemptions can be temporary or permanent.