WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th January, 2022) Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced his intention to sue the Biden administration in what he describes is an unconstitutional COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the state's National Guard.
"As the commander-in-chief of Texas's militia, I have issued a straightforward order to every member of the Texas National Guard within my chain of command: Do not punish any guardsman for choosing not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine," Abbott said. "Unless President Biden federalizes the Texas National Guard in accordance with Title 10 of the US Code, he is not your commander-in-chief under our Federal or state Constitutions."
Abbott said as long as he is commander-in-chief, he will not tolerate efforts to compel receiving COVID-19 vaccines. The governor also said the US federal government has put Texas's guardsmen in a difficult position and as their commander-in-chief, he promised to fight on their behalf.
On December 16, 2021, Abbott sent a letter US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in which he stated Texas' intention to ignore the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandate with respect to the state's National Guard. Abbott sent the letter in response to Austin's threat a month earlier to stop federal funding going to unvaccinated guardsmen.
