{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=315", "Rep. Jackson Joins Amicus Brief in Support of Servicemembers Seeking Religious Exemption from the Military\u2019s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate", "2021-12-21", "2021", "2021-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Ronny Jackson", "J000304", "jackson.house.gov", "jackson", "https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Yesterday, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) joined an amicus brief to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in support of 35 Navy servicemembers who are seeking religious accommodations from the Department of Defense\u2019s vaccine mandate. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04) led the brief, which was signed by 38 Representatives and 9 Senators.\n\nThe plaintiffs have sued the Department of Defense over the Department\u2019s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in a Texas federal court claiming that the mandate infringes upon their religious freedom rights.\n\nJackson said: \u201cWhat Joe Biden is doing is abundantly obvious \u2013 ignoring our Constitution. I\u2019m proud to join Sen. Cruz and Rep. Johnson in filing this brief along with many of my colleagues who will always uphold the Constitution and stand by our servicemembers. The First Amendment right to religious liberty should withstand the test of an illegal vaccine mandate. As Russia, China, and Iran work overtime to destroy us, we cannot afford to have our military\u2019s best and brightest on the sidelines because their own Commander-in-Chief has waged war on their rights.\u201d\n\nThe brief states: \u201cThe very first clause of the very First Amendment explicitly states that \u2018Congress shall make no law\u2026 prohibiting the free exercise\u2019 of religion. This amendment, case law, and Congress\u2019s decision to pass the Religious Freedom Restoration Act all testify to the fact that, without entrenched, generally applicable, and judicially enforceable protections for religious liberty, lawmakers and government bureaucrats are susceptible to override sincere religious beliefs in favor of what they mistakenly see as the greater good. That is what is happening with Defendants\u2019 vaccine mandate.\u201d\n\nThe brief continues: \u201cPlaintiffs\u2019 religious liberty and the government\u2019s asserted interest in protecting our service members from COVID-19 need not be in conflict, especially where, as here, the individuals seeking an exemption are willing to adopt non-vaccination measures to protect themselves and others from the spread of COVID-19.\u201d\n\nThe brief concludes: \u201cIndeed, the impact on the military and our national security strongly counsels in favor of granting a preliminary injunction. The mandate is sidelining the deployment of soldiers on whose service our country relies. If this mandate (as currently being applied or threatened) is not enjoined, these Plaintiffs cannot fulfill their pledge to serve and defend our country, even though, based upon their training and experience, these Plaintiffs, as well as others similarly situated, are some of our most qualified, equipped, and fearless soldiers\u2026 Now they ask this Court to protect their religious freedom from encroachment by the very government they have sworn to protect with their lives.\n\n\u201cIf the mandate stands, it is likely, then, that it will be more difficult for our military to recruit highly qualified individuals of faith to serve our country\u2014a consequence that is wholly unnecessary, damaging to our military\u2019s morale, and damaging to our national security.\u201d\n\nJackson is a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Link to the full brief can be found here.\n\nAlso joining the brief are Representatives Rick Allen (GA-12), Brian Babin (TX-36), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Dan Bishop (NC-09), Mo Brooks (AL-05), Lauren Boebert (CO-03), Kat Cammack (FL-03), Andrew Clyde (GA-09), Warren Davidson (OH-08), Rodney Davis (IL-13), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Bob Gibbs (OH-07), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Bob Good (VA-05), Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Michael Guest (MS-03), Andy Harris (MD-01), Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), Jody Hice (GA-10), Clay Higgins (LA-03), Darrell Issa (CA-50), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), Billy Long (MO-07), Thomas Massie (KY-04), Brian Mast (FL-18), Mary Miller (IL-15), Greg Murphy (NC-03), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Scott Perry (PA-10), Matt Rosendale (MT-AL), Chip Roy (TX-21), Greg Steube (FL-17), Randy Weber (TX-29), and Daniel Webster (FL-10), as well as Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Mike Lee (R-UT), James M. Inhofe (R-OK), James Lankford (R-OK), Steve Daines (R-MT), Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:37:48Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://jackson.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=315"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 3.228980116546154, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}