Defense & National Security — Presented by Lockheed Martin — Military vaccine mandate another potential NDAA wrench

View Online    Defense & National Security Defense & National Security   PRESENTED BY Military vaccine mandate latest likely NDAA wrench © AP Photo/ J.Scott Applewhite With the deadline to pass the annual defense authorization bill looming, GOP lawmakers are throwing another potential wrench into the timeline. At the center of this issue is the Biden administration's military COVID-19 vaccine mandate.    We'll share what the issue is and why it matters, plus what President Biden's nominee for ambassador to Russia told senators today and the newly announced death of ISIS's leader.    This is Defense & National Security, your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. For The Hill, I'm Ellen Mitchell. A friend forward this newsletter to you? Subscribe here. GOP lawmakers target Pentagon vaccine mandate © Getty Images Nearly all Republican governors and 13 GOP Senate lawmakers are taking aim at the Biden administration's military COVID-19 vaccine mandate, with the two groups on Wednesday urging congressional leadership to try to alter or altogether dismantle the ruling.     The 21 GOP governors, led by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, issued a joint letter to top lawmakers asking them to "take immediate action to remove and prohibit" the mandate.    The governors' argument: "The Biden vaccine mandate on our military creates a national security risk that severely impacts our defense capabilities abroad and our state readiness here at home," the governors argue, claiming that "current service members are leaving our ranks, and new recruits are not signing up to join."    Meanwhile, in the Senate: The 13 Republican senators, meanwhile, hope to insert language in the annual defense authorization bill that would prohibit any service member from being removed from the ranks should they refuse the coronavirus vaccine, as well as reinstate those already discharged with back pay.     In a separate letter led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the lawmakers oppose moving forward with the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act unless the Senate votes on an amendment that includes such stipulations.    "The Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccine mandate has ruined the livelihoods of men and women who have honorably served our country," reads the letter sent to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.), Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (Wyo.) and Senate Republican Policy Committee Chairman Roy Blunt (Mo.).    Some background: The Pentagon in August 2021 required COVID-19 vaccinations for all service members — including those in the National Guard and Reserve — with those who do not comply facing loss of days they accrue toward retirement, loss of pay or even dismissal from the ranks known as involuntary separation.    The U.S. military in February began to discharge service members for refusing the vaccine, with Pentagon officials in April telling Congress about 3,400 troops had been involuntarily separated from service.    Pushback: The mandate has received heavy pushback from Republican lawmakers and has been the subject of several lawsuits looking to dismantle it.    But the Biden administration has held firm, with defense officials arguing the vaccine mandate is meant to ensure force readiness and is critical to the health and safety of the force, with no readiness issues yet observed.      Read the full story here  A MESSAGE FROM LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35. Powered by nearly 1,000 small businesses. The most economically significant defense program in history, contributing approximately $72 billion annually. Learn more. GOP Senators threaten to withhold votes on NDAA   © Peter Afriyie Later on Wednesday, a group of Republican senators threatened to withhold their votes to advance the NDAA if the chamber doesn't vote on whether to end the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the military.    Led by Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the group said the military is struggling with recruiting and the exodus of thousands for not getting vaccinated hasn't helped matters.    "Congress should take action. And we're taking action by saying we will not vote to get on the NDAA … unless we have a vote on ending this military vaccine mandate," Paul told reporters at a press conference at the Capitol.    Whose withholding: Paul said 20 Senate Republicans have signed a letter signaling they will vote against cloture on the NDAA. Forty-one senators are needed back the effort in order to grind NDAA action to a halt, and the Kentucky Republican acknowledged their efforts will go nowhere without support from GOP leadership. No member of Republican leadership has thus far jumped on board, with Paul saying their response has been "agnostic."     But Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who also signed the letter, asked of supporters of the vaccine mandate, "Is this really a hill worth dying on? I think not."    The group of senators also said the possible amendment vote should be held at a simple-majority threshold, meaning that 51 senators could put the bill over the top to get attached to the overall proposal.    Read that story here  Diplomatic nominee asks lawmakers to keep pressure on Russia © Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP President Biden's nominee for ambassador to Russia told senators on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is cracking under pressure from the U.S. and its allies, urging lawmakers to stay the course on supporting Ukraine.    "My impression of President Putin and his mindset is he thinks that he is more patient than we are," Lynne Tracy, who now serves as U.S. ambassador to Armenia, said. "That he can wait us out, that our unity of purpose and will, will crumble before his does and I think that, that needs to be demonstrated to him that that is not an accurate calculation."    An upcoming vote: Tracy was speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. Biden nominated Tracy in September following the exit of former Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan.    Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), chair of the panel, told The Hill he would like to see a floor vote for Tracy's nomination as early as next week, saying it would depend on the 28-year veteran diplomat fulfilling outstanding questions from the committee that were not answered in her hearing.     "As far as I'm concerned, if she gets answers to those questions up, then I'd like to see her have her vote as early as next week if it's possible," he said.    Her credentials: Tracy was a deputy chief of mission to the embassy in Moscow between 2014 and 2017. She took on the role shortly after Russian forces aided separatists in eastern Ukraine and invaded and annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.    "Our relations were hurtling downward and we faced regular harassment of our staff," she told the panel.    Support expected: Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed support for Tracy's nomination and emphasized the importance of having in place a top U.S. official to reestablish lines of communication with the Russian government that have become "greatly attenuated and they are quite infrequent."    The issues at play: Priority conversations surround reducing the risk that nuclear weapons will be used in the conflict, Tracy said. She added that she would push the Russian government to fulfill its obligations to allow U.S. inspections of Russian nuclear weapons sites under New START, the 2011 agreement between Washington and Moscow to address nuclear nonproliferation.    The State Department said the Russian government unilaterally rejected participating in nuclear talks related to the treaty that were scheduled to take place in Egypt this week.    Tracy said that the Biden administration remains open to negotiating a new nuclear agreement when New START expires in 2026, but that Russia needs to show it is serious.    Read the rest of the story here Islamic State leader killed in battle, spokesman says © AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the leader of the Islamic State terror group, was killed in battle in mid-October, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday.    Al-Qurayshi was "killed while struggling against the enemies' of God," Islamic State spokesman Abu Omar al-Muhajer said in an audio message released by the group's media affiliate al-Furqan, according to The Associated Press.    Limited details: The message did not say how the commander was killed or where, but the Pentagon in a separate statement said he died during an operation that "was conducted by The Free Syrian Army in Dar'a province in Syria."    "The death of Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in mid-October is another blow to ISIS," U.S. Central Command Spokesman Col. Joe Buccino said in a brief statement.    A new leader: ISIS announced Abu al-Husain al-Husaini al-Quraish as its next leader, describing him as an "old fighter" with no additional details. Little is known about al-Quraish.    Al-Qurayshi began leading the group after the U.S. killed his predecessor, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, in a February raid in Syria, and the more recent death marks the second Islamic State leader killed this year.    Read more here  A MESSAGE FROM LOCKHEED MARTIN F-35. Powered by nearly 1,000 small businesses. The most economically significant defense program in history, contributing approximately $72 billion annually. Learn more. ON TAP TOMORROW The Center for Strategic and International Studies, will hold a discussion on "Nuclear Weapons and Kim Family," at 9:30 a.m.   The Foundation for Defense of Democracies will host an event on "Rogue Proliferators: Nonproliferation Threats Posed by Iran, Syria, Russia, and North Korea," with keynote remarks by C.S. Eliot Kang, assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, among others, at 9:30 a.m.    The Hudson Institute, will hold a virtual talk on "How to Overcome the Military Recruitment and Retention Crisis," with Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), at 10 a.m.   The Arab Center will hold a virtual discussion on "Iraq at a Crossroads: Challenges and Prospects Facing the New Government," with former Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Rend al Rahim, at 10 a.m.    Retired Chief of Space Operations Gen. John "Jay" Raymond will speak at the Stimson Center at 11 a.m.  The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments will hold a dialogue on "Moving Pieces: Near-Term Changes to Pacific Air Posture," at 2 p.m.    The Center for Strategic and International Studies will also host a conversation on "Growing Challenges, Rising Ambitions: AUSMIN 2022 and Expanding U.S.-Australia Cooperation," at 3 p.m.  WHAT WE'RE READING DOJ will have to wait for Jan. 6 panel's final report to access transcripts  DHS warns of 'heightened threat environment' in pre-holiday terrorism bulletin   US 'deeply concerned' about Whelan after week without contact  Zelensky says Musk should visit Ukraine to see war for himself  Blinken labels Russian attacks on Ukraine energy infrastructure 'barbaric'  The Hill: Opinion: Is Russia a terrorist state?  The Hill: Opinion: The real costs of Russia's Ukraine war  That's it for today. Check out The Hill's Defense and National Security pages for the latest coverage. See you tomorrow! Sign up for Defense & National Security Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe Sign Up for Other Newsletters 1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 © 1998 - 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

Health Care — Presented by AAMC — FDA halts authorization of last COVID antibody drug

View Online    Health Care Health Care   PRESENTED BY AAMC FDA halts authorization of last COVID antibody drug © Getty RIP to Christine McVie, the singer-songwriter responsible for some of Fleetwood Mac's biggest hits.     Today in health, the rise of new COVID-19 omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 has led to the one remaining monoclonal antibody treatment no longer being authorized by the FDA.    Welcome to Overnight Health Care, where we're following the latest moves on policy and news affecting your health. For The Hill, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi. Someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Authorization for COVID antibody treatment paused © iStock The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Wednesday that the COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment bebtelovimab from Eli Lilly is no longer authorized for emergency use in the U.S. as it is not expected to be effective at neutralizing the two most dominant omicron subvariants in the country right now.    The omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 collectively account for 57.3 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. right now, having pushed the BA.5 omicron subvariant out as the dominant subvariant earlier this month.    Unsuited to newer mutations:  "Given that a COVID-19 infection is likely to be caused by a non-susceptible SARS-CoV-2 variant, and consistent with the terms and conditions of the Letter of Authorization, bebtelovimab is not currently authorized for emergency use in any U.S. region at this time," the FDA said in a statement.  "Lilly and the FDA agree that it is not medically appropriate, at this time, to treat high-risk patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 with bebtelovimab in the US," Eli Lilly said in a statement, confirming that its monoclonal antibody treatment does not appear to neutralize the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants.  The agency stated that Eli Lilly and its distributors have paused distribution of bebtelovimab until further notice and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response has also paused the fulfillment of any pending requests for the drug.    Bebtelovimab was the last monoclonal antibody authorized for treating COVID-19. Other previous antibody treatments have been withdrawn from the market.    With this treatment no longer being distributed or authorized for use, the FDA advised that health care providers choose "appropriate" treatments including the authorized antivirals Paxlovid, Veklury and Lagevrio.    Read more here.  A MESSAGE FROM AAMC Educating future doctors, providing expert patient care and discovering research breakthroughs—a healthier future starts in the medical schools and teaching hospitals of academic medicine. Learn more.  CDC testing Mich., Pa. wastewater for polio © iStock The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding its wastewater testing for polio in parts of Michigan and Pennsylvania, officials announced Wednesday.      The CDC will begin wastewater testing in Michigan's Oakland County and an unspecified area around Philadelphia.  "Wastewater testing can be an important tool to help us understand if poliovirus may be circulating in communities in certain circumstances," said José R. Romero, director of the CDC's national center for immunization and respiratory diseases.  "Vaccination remains the best way to prevent another case of paralytic polio, and it is critically important that people get vaccinated to protect themselves, their families and their communities against this devastating disease."   Polio outbreaks once caused panic in the United States, but those concerns died once a vaccine was created and widely distributed in the 1950s and 1960s.      Concerns over the spread of polio have been renewed this year, however, after the first case of paralytic polio in nearly a decade was diagnosed in an unvaccinated man in Rockland County, N.Y., in July.     Since then, New York health officials have detected 89 "cases of interest," 82 of which have been linked to the infected Rockland man. The virus has been found in sewage water in New York City, Orange County, Sullivan County, Queens County and Nassau County.      Read more here.  INDIANA AG FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST DOCTOR WHO PERFORMED ABORTION ON 10-YEAR-OLD  Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (R) on Wednesday said he filed a complaint with the state's medical licensing board, asking it to investigate an Indianapolis doctor who provided an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio.    The complaint alleges Caitlin Bernard violated federal and Indiana law related to patient privacy and the reporting of child abuse by sharing the girl's story with the press "to further her political agenda."    Rokita said Bernard also failed to immediately report to state authorities the abuse and rape that led to the girl's pregnancy.    Bernard is suing Rokita to stop his office from accessing confidential medical records it requested as part of an investigation into her medical practice.    In a statement, Bernard's attorney called the complaint "a last-ditch effort to intimidate Dr. Bernard and other providers of abortion care."    Read more here.  GOP GOVERNORS, SENATORS TAKE AIM AT PENTAGON VAX MANDATE  Nearly all Republican governors and 13 GOP senators are taking aim at the Biden administration's military COVID-19 vaccine mandate, with the two groups on Wednesday urging congressional leadership to try to alter or altogether dismantle the ruling.     The 21 GOP governors, led by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, issued a joint letter to top lawmakers asking them to "take immediate action to remove and prohibit" the mandate.   "The Biden vaccine mandate on our military creates a national security risk that severely impacts our defense capabilities abroad and our state readiness here at home," the governors argue, claiming that "current servicemembers are leaving our ranks, and new recruits are not signing up to join."   The 13 Republican senators want to insert language in the annual defense authorization bill that would prohibit any service member from being removed from the ranks should they refuse the coronavirus vaccine, as well as reinstate those already discharged with back pay.   Flashback: The Pentagon in August 2021 required COVID-19 vaccinations for all service members — including those in the National Guard and Reserve — with those who do not comply facing loss of days they accrue toward retirement, loss of pay or even dismissal from the ranks known as involuntary separation.     The U.S. military in February began to discharge service members for refusing the vaccine, with Pentagon officials in April telling Congress about 3,400 troops had been involuntarily separated from service.     Read more here.  Companies ask SCOTUS to nix flavored-tobacco ban © AP A group of tobacco companies have asked the Supreme Court to issue an injunction on California's ban on flavored tobacco products, which was voted into law at the ballot box earlier this month.    Companies including the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company and Modoral Brands Inc. submitted a request for an injunction to the Supreme Court arguing that sales bans in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, of which California is a part, have been reversed by the court on prior occasions.    On Election Day, 62 percent of California voters chose "Yes" on the proposition to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products. The ban affects products with non-tobacco flavors, such as fruit, mint and vanilla. Vending machines or stores that are found to be in violation face a $250 fee.    The ban is set to go into effect beginning on Dec. 22.    The question: The tobacco companies are asking that the Supreme Court consider whether the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, a 2009 bill that gives the secretary of Health and Human Services the power to restrict or allow the sale of tobacco products, preempts the ban issued in California.    Possible precedent:  The companies cited a previous cases where the Supreme Court overturned the 9th Circuit's findings on bans regarding the sale of meat from "downer" animals, ones that are unable to walk. Federal law requires that downer cows not be slaughtered for human consumption.  In this earlier case, the court had ruled that federal law explicitly preempted the California law, which sought to include other livestock into the downer slaughter ban.  Read more here.  A MESSAGE FROM AAMC Educating future doctors, providing expert patient care and discovering research breakthroughs—a healthier future starts in the medical schools and teaching hospitals of academic medicine. Learn more.   WHAT WE'RE READING The chase is on: Regulators are slowly cracking down on vapes aimed at teens (NPR)  Older adults face Medicare hurdles for substance use treatment (Roll Call)  Newest Alzheimer's drugs take large but fraught step toward approval (Wall Street Journal)  COVID hit HIV detection in Europe, threatens eradication progress (Reuters)  STATE BY STATE New Mexico sues over a dozen tobacco companies (KVIA)  Texas' rural hospitals are — once again — at grave risk of closing (Texas Tribune)  Minnesota's medical cannabis program adds qualifying conditions: IBS and OCD (MPR News)  That's it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest news and coverage. See you tomorrow. Sign up for Health Care Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe Sign Up for Other Newsletters 1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 © 1998 - 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.