Federal judge blocks Pentagon from punishing Navy sailors who decline COVID-19 vaccine
CBSN
Washington — A federal judge in Texas blocked the Department of Defense on Monday from punishing 35 members of the Navy who refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in compliance with the service's vaccine mandate due to religious objections.
The group of Christian Navy personnel, including SEALs, Special Warfare Combatant Craft crewmen, divers and an explosive ordnance disposal technician, brought their case against President Biden and the Defense Department in November and argued the Navy's vaccine mandate violates the First Amendment and federal law.
The service members asked the court to stop the Defense Department from enforcing the policy, to which they are seeking religious accommodations, against them and prohibit the Navy from taking "adverse action" against them for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
