Hutzell: Hey Army-Navy, Congress says none of you can go pro — just yet

Congress just sneezed in your beer, Army-Navy fans. Two days before the 123rd football classic in Philly, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act — stay with me, there’s some jargon ahead. It includes $858 billion for the Department of Defense and, because this is really important, bars service academy athletes from turning pro until two years after graduation. It also revokes the DOD policy requiring COVID vaccines, so huge chunks of the Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force can all call out sick on the same day if the virus numbers swell again. Whatever you think of that policy, the decision will probably keep Vice Adm. Sean Buck, the Naval Academy superintendent, from having to explain at Republican-led congressional hearings next year why 18 mids were denied exceptions from the shots on religious grounds.