Resolutions Urging Congress To Provide Benefits To Service Members For Covid-19 Vaccine Injuries & Designating A Month of Prayer And Fasting Passes In Tennessee House

Image: Rep. Monty Fritts presents HJR0098 on the House floor. Image Credit: TN General Assembly

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

Two resolutions brought by Rep. Monty Fritts (R-Kingston-District 32) passed on the House floor this Monday.

Resolution Urging Congress to Require the Department of Veterans Affairs to Add Covid-19 and Anthrax Vaccinations as “Pre-Qualifying” for Care Under PACT Act.

As Rep. Fritts previously noted, House Joint Resolution 98 (HJR0098) was filed to encourage Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide benefits under the PACT Act to soldiers that were “given those shots at different times in their service career” and sustained injuries from those forced vaccinations.

“I think it is the responsibility of the political office holder to stand up for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who volunteer to serve our great State and Nation,” Rep. Fritts told The Tennessee Conservative. “After all, these service members stand up for us.”

The three-page resolution states that “many servicemembers have reportedly been unlawfully forced to accept COVID-19 drugs and anthrax vaccinations” and that “our government has a history of subjecting our servicemembers to experimental conditions and substances without their consent.”

It also recognizes the potential for generational damage and the experimental phase these pharmaceutical substances were in when many service members were subjected to them.

HJR0098 passed on the House floor by a 78-14 vote.

Democrat Representative Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis-District 98) joined Republican Representatives Alexander, Atchley, Barrett, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Camper, Capley, Cepicky, Chism, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Davis, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Fritts, Gant, Garrett, Gillespie, Glynn, Grills, Hale, Hardaway, Haston, Hawk, Helton-Haynes, Hicks G, Hicks T, Hill, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Jones R, Keisling, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Maberry, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, Moody, Moon, Powers, Reedy, Reeves, Reneau, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Scarbrough, Sherrell, Slater, Sparks, Stevens, Stinnett, Terry, Todd, Towns, Travis, Vaughan, Vital, Warner, White, Williams, Wright, Zachary, and Speaker Sexton in voting for the passage of HJR0098.

Republican Representative Sabi “Doc” Kumar (R-Springfield-District 66) joined Democrat Representatives Behn, Brooks, Clemmons, Dixie, Freeman, Hemmer, Johnson, Jones J, Miller, Mitchell, Powell, Salinas, and Shaw in voting against the resolution.

After the House passage of HJR0098, Rep. Fritts provided The Tennessee Conservative with the following statement:

“As someone who has both worn the uniform of our Nation in the US Army and held elected office this was really personal to me. I was taught as a young soldier, the responsibility to obey only lawful orders. As an elected office holder, I am beginning to grasp the great need for the civilian political leader to ensure our military is focused upon lethality of action, closing with and eliminating the enemy rather than social engineering schemes. 

The bill also calls for a review of the decision-making process that led to the issuance of a command to require service members to have these chemicals injected into their bodies. This unnecessary and unlawful command has proven to place many service members health at great risk. This resolution simply urges Congress to add these injuries to the list of PACT Act covered exposures. 

I appreciate the bipartisan vote on the House floor supporting our Tennessee veterans, service members, and their families today.”

Resolution Calling “Spiritually Inclined and Physically Able” Tennesseans to a Month of Prayer and Fasting in July.

House Joint Resolution 51 (HJR0051), designates July as a month of prayer and fasting to seek “God’s hand of mercy and healing on Tennessee” for those who are “spiritually inclined and physically able.”

“I am convinced we cannot legislate nor budget ourselves out of the hole we are in,” Rep. Fritts previously told The Tennessee Conservative. “Our resolution is in alignment with the Founders and Framers seeking Almighty God’s hand upon our nation.”

HJR0051 passed by an 81-8 vote on the House floor.

Democrats and Republicans alike acknowledged their “sins and shortcomings, both individually and as a people” and agreed to “humbly” ask for the Lord’s forgiveness by voting in favor of this legislation.

Voting in favor of HJR0051 were Democrat Representatives Chism, Hakeem, McKenzie, Miller, Parkinson, Shaw, and Towns, alongside Republican Representatives Alexander, Atchley, Barrett, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Capley, Carringer, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Davis, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Fritts, Gant, Garrett, Gillespie, Grills, Hale, Haston, Hawk, Helton-Haynes, Hicks G, Hicks T, Hill, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Jones R, Keisling, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Maberry, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, Moody, Moon, Powers, Reedy, Reeves, Reneau, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Scarbrough, Sherrell, Slater, Sparks, Stevens, Stinnett, Terry, Todd, Travis, Vaughan, Vital, Warner, White, Williams, Wright, Zachary, and Speaker Sexton.

Democrat lawmakers Behn, Brooks, Freeman, Hardaway, Johnson, Jones J, Powell, and Salinas voted against the resolution.

Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville-District 55) was the only lawmaker marked as “present and not voting.”

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. Adelia is The Tennessee Conservative’s on-site reporter for the Tennessee General Assembly. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.