Roger Marshall: “I come to the floor today in support of our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line each day to defend…”

“I come to the floor today in support of our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line each day to defend our freedoms and our American way of life. Unfortunately, thousands of our heroes are about to lose those very freedoms that they have fought so hard to defend, as Joe Biden's vaccine mandate is threatening them with a dishonorable discharge should they choose not to get the COVID vaccine. Now, let me be clear, as a physician and a veteran, I am confident the vaccine has saved countless lives, and I encourage every veteran, every American to consider and to discuss with their physician getting that vaccine. I believe vaccinating our servicemembers, though, against COVID-19 is such a very, very important effort. But deep down inside, I am still this real doctor from Great Bend, KS, and I believe in the sanctity of the physician-patient relationship and that every one of our situations is unique. A soldier's clinical history is unique. There are pros and cons; there are risks and benefits of taking this vaccine. And each of our soldiers all are using common sense--the common sense that God has given them, and I respect their decisions. This administration should too. Right now, thousands of our servicemembers are not vaccinated. When it comes to our guardsmen and -women in Kansas, only 58 percent are fully or partially vaccinated--a number I am confident would hold true across the remainder of the country.…”