II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5177 

To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an 

audit of religious accommodations relating to the coronavirus disease 

2019 for the Armed Forces to ensure all applicable laws, guidance, 

and policies were followed with respect to such accommodations, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 1, 2022 

Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself, Mr. BRAUN, Mr. LEE, and Mr. RUBIO) 

introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To require the Comptroller General of the United States 

to conduct an audit of religious accommodations relating 

to the coronavirus disease 2019 for the Armed Forces 

to ensure all applicable laws, guidance, and policies were 

followed with respect to such accommodations, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Defending Religious 

5 Accommodations for Military Members Act of 2022’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. COMPTROLLER GENERAL AUDIT OF RELIGIOUS AC2 COMMODATIONS RELATING TO COVID–19 FOR 

3 THE ARMED FORCES. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Commencing not later than 90 

5 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

6 Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct 

7 an audit of religious accommodations relating to the 

8 coronavirus disease 2019 (in this section referred to as 

9 ‘‘COVID–19’’) for the Armed Forces to ensure all Federal 

10 laws, and guidance and policies of the Department of De11 fense, the Department of Homeland Security (with respect 

12 to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service 

13 in the Department of the Navy), and each military depart14 ment, were followed with respect to such accommodations. 

15 (b) ELEMENTS.—In conducting the audit required 

16 under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall— 

17 (1) make a determination as to the reasons for 

18 mass denial of religious accommodations relating to 

19 COVID–19 across the Armed Forces, including a 

20 comparative study of previous religious accommoda21 tions; 

22 (2) analyze the handling by the Department of 

23 Defense and the Department of Homeland Security 

24 (with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not op25 erating as a service in the Department of the Navy) 

26 of medical and administrative requests relating to 


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1 COVID–19 compared to religious accommodation re2 quests relating to COVID–19, to include concerns 

3 raised by members of the Armed Forces who were 

4 pregnant, trying to get pregnant, those who were 

5 breastfeeding, and others; 

6 (3) analyze the timeline of when each military 

7 department mandated that members of the Armed 

8 Forces take the COVID–19 comirnaty vaccine ap9 proved by the Food and Drug Administration and 

10 when military medical treatment facilities had the 

11 vaccine available for such members; 

12 (4) analyze how the current number of involun13 tary discharges relating to COVID–19 vaccine man14 dates of the Department of Defense and the Depart15 ment of Homeland Security are negatively impacting 

16 readiness across all branches of the Armed Forces 

17 compared with the impacts of COVID–19 on mem18 bers of the Armed Forces, including hospitalizations 

19 and deaths, which shall include an analysis of the 

20 total number of members of the Armed Forces 

21 scheduled to be discharged compared with impacts 

22 of COVID–19 on members of the Armed Forces, in23 cluding hospitalizations and deaths; 

24 (5) determine the extent to which COVID–19 

25 vaccine mandates of the Department of Defense and 


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1 the Department of Homeland Security are negatively 

2 impacting recruiting for the Armed Forces and in3 terest in joining the Armed Forces; 

4 (6) determine the extent to which the Depart5 ment of Defense and the Department of Homeland 

6 Security could have used options to retain members 

7 of the Armed Forces who had reservations about the 

8 COVID–19 vaccine, such as requiring frequent 

9 COVID–19 testing, mask wearing, considering nat10 ural immunity, or other options so as not to impact 

11 the readiness of the Armed Forces; and 

12 (7) analyze any retaliation or retribution taken 

13 by the Department of Defense or the Department of 

14 Homeland Security, or any employee or officer of 

15 the Department of Defense or the Department of 

16 Homeland Security, with respect to any member of 

17 the Armed Forces who was either granted a religious 

18 accommodation relating to COVID–19, or who was 

19 denied such an accommodation, but refused to take 

20 the COVID–19 vaccine and was awaiting discharge 

21 proceedings. 

22 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

23 of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 


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1 submit to Congress a report containing the findings of the 

2 audit conducted under subsection (a). 

Æ 


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