A controversial vaccine mandate for the military that resulted in over 8,000 members of the Armed Forces being discharged has been repealed in last-minute negotiations to gain Republican support for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The bill is crucial to fund the United States military and is often subject to intense negotiations as both parties attempt to extract concessions on key issues.

Senators Ron Johnson (R-Wi.) and Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) proposed an amendment that would allow members of the military who were discharged to be reinstated, but the amendment was defeated.

The bill also included a 4.6 percent pay increase for members of the military and civilian staffers.

While Biden has expressed support for the military vaccine mandate, it is likely that he will sign the NDAA to avoid a delay on important Department of Defense priorities.

The Epoch Times Reports–

The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed the $858 billion military spending bill, which also repeals a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military service members. The legislation will now go to President Joe Biden for signing into law.

The Senate approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by an 83–11 vote after the measure garnered overwhelming bipartisan support in the House last week.

The NDAA is an annual must-pass bill setting defense spending levels. This year’s NDAA includes a big victory for Republicans and critics of Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

To get Republican support for the 4,408-page bill, Democrats agreed to drop the requirement that military members receive a COVID-19 vaccine but rejected a measure that would have reinstated personnel who were terminated for not complying with the mandate.

In August 2021, Biden declared that all government employees, including military service members, would be required to receive the COVID-19 jab or face termination, despite a lack of long-term testing on the vaccination.