{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-raise-concerns-about-covid-vaccine-military-discharges", "Crapo, Risch Raise Concerns about COVID Vaccine Military Discharges", "2022-05-03", "2022", "2022-05", "Republican", "Senate", "ID", "Mike Crapo", "C000880", "www.crapo.senate.gov", "crapo", "https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho), strong opponents of federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and Senate colleagues sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin raising questions about the number and nature of military discharges for not receiving a COVID vaccine. Reports show more than 1,700 servicemembers have been discharged for their COVID vaccination status and many are being denied retirement or other service benefits, including GI Bill\u00ae education benefits, as a result.\n\nThe letter reads in part, \u201cWhile we are deeply troubled that the Department of Defense (DOD) is discharging U.S. military personnel as a result of their COVID-19 vaccination status, we are outraged that these brave men and women are potentially being stripped of various benefits, including education benefits afforded to them under the G.I. Bill. Whatever disagreements public officials of varying ideologies and political parties may have, we can and should agree on the importance of ensuring the promises made to members of our Armed Forces are fulfilled.\u201d\n\nAdditional signatories of the letter include Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).\n\nTo read the full letter, click HERE.\n\nTo see a full list of Senator Crapo\u2019s efforts to fight against the federal government\u2019s COVID-19 vaccine mandates, click HERE.\n\nGI Bill\u00ae is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:29:07Z"]], "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://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-risch-raise-concerns-about-covid-vaccine-military-discharges"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9592007845640182, "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"}