Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lawmakers Push For Mandatory Military Covid Shots
A group of lawmakers is calling on President Joe Biden to make the COVID vaccines mandatory for all military members. Calling unvaccinated troops 鈥渁 critical threat to our national security and public health,鈥 U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., sent a letter to the White House Wednesday urging Biden to issue a 鈥渨aiver of informed consent鈥 that would force troops, if ordered, to get the vaccines as soon as they were eligible. (Ziezulewicz, 3/25)
Kaiser Health News: Military Exposed To Toxic Fumes From Burn Pits Set To Get Bipartisan Boost
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Friday planned to roll out what could be the most ambitious attempt ever tried to treat American war fighters poisoned in deployments overseas. The bipartisan bill, modeled on both Agent Orange legislation and the 9/11 health act, aims to help unknown thousands of veterans who got sick after being exposed to toxic substances from massive open fire pits where the military burned its garbage, as well as other sources. (McAuliff, 3/26)
Related Coverage: Doctors Found Jet Fuel in Veteran鈥檚 Lungs. He Can鈥檛 Get Full Benefits.