Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined 17 of her Republican colleagues this week in introducing a bill requiring the Secretary of Defense to offer reinstatement to service members who were fired over the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots (AMERICANS) Act of 2023 would reinstate any service member fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine and credit them with the time of involuntary separation for retirement pay calculations. The bill would also work to restore the service member’s rank at the time of demotion while also compensating them for any pay and benefits lost due to that demotion.
Furthermore, the bill would provide an exemption process for service members with natural immunity, an underlying health condition, or a religious belief that prohibits vaccination.
“Over 8,000 service members were discharged because of the Biden administration’s unjust COVID vaccine mandate, and many were denied the benefits of honorable service,” Blackburn said in a statement. “This is an utter slap in the face to the brave men and women who have volunteered to defend our nation.”
Due to Biden's unfair COVID vaccine requirement, over 8,000 servicemembers were discharged, and many of them were not given compensation for their service.
After successfully rescinding the mandate, servicemembers need to be offered full compensation for their loss of benefits.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 25, 2023
The AMERICANS Act follows the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2023, which terminated the Department of Defense’s mandate that service members be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Blackburn applauded the passage and enactment of the NDAA at the time, however, she emphasized the importance of reinstating service members who were discharged for not complying with the mandate.
“The Pentagon must also correct relevant military records to ensure those who were unfairly targeted do not have black marks on their record,” Blackburn stated at the time. “Those who have volunteered to defend our freedom deserve the freedom to decide for themselves whether or not to get vaccinated.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Marsha Blackburn” by Marsha Blackburn.
