JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has joined Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in seeking to block the U.S. Department of Defense from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for National Guard members who are under state command.
The Pentagon has required COVID-19 vaccination for all service members, including the National Guard and Reserve. Attorneys for the two governors, in an amended lawsuit dated Jan. 25, say that when National Guard members are serving the state, the federal government has no command authority.
The lawsuit claims the mandate is an unconstitutional overstepping of bounds.
A federal judge last month ruled against Oklahoma in its separate lawsuit challenging the vaccine mandates for guard members.
The case dealing with Alaska and Texas guard is an amended version of the challenge filed by Texas earlier this month.
About 8% of Alaska Air and Army National Guard members have not received a first dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. Of these, “more than 90% have requested a medical or religious exemption, yet no such exemptions have been granted.”
Reader Comments(0)