Defending Religious Accommodations for Military Members Act of 2022

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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Defending Religious Accommodations for Military Members Act of 2022 2. Comptroller General audit of religious accommodations relating to COVID–19 for the Armed Forces (a) In general Commencing not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an audit of religious accommodations relating to the coronavirus disease 2019 (in this section referred to as COVID–19 (b) Elements In conducting the audit required under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall— (1) make a determination as to the reasons for mass denial of religious accommodations relating to COVID–19 across the Armed Forces, including a comparative study of previous religious accommodations; (2) analyze the handling by the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security (with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Department of the Navy) of medical and administrative requests relating to COVID–19 compared to religious accommodation requests relating to COVID–19, to include concerns raised by members of the Armed Forces who were pregnant, trying to get pregnant, those who were breastfeeding, and others; (3) analyze the timeline of when each military department mandated that members of the Armed Forces take the COVID–19 comirnaty vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration and when military medical treatment facilities had the vaccine available for such members; (4) analyze how the current number of involuntary discharges relating to COVID–19 vaccine mandates of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security are negatively impacting readiness across all branches of the Armed Forces compared with the impacts of COVID–19 on members of the Armed Forces, including hospitalizations and deaths, which shall include an analysis of the total number of members of the Armed Forces scheduled to be discharged compared with impacts of COVID–19 on members of the Armed Forces, including hospitalizations and deaths; (5) determine the extent to which COVID–19 vaccine mandates of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security are negatively impacting recruiting for the Armed Forces and interest in joining the Armed Forces; (6) determine the extent to which the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security could have used options to retain members of the Armed Forces who had reservations about the COVID–19 vaccine, such as requiring frequent COVID–19 testing, mask wearing, considering natural immunity, or other options so as not to impact the readiness of the Armed Forces; and (7) analyze any retaliation or retribution taken by the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security, or any employee or officer of the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security, with respect to any member of the Armed Forces who was either granted a religious accommodation relating to COVID–19, or who was denied such an accommodation, but refused to take the COVID–19 vaccine and was awaiting discharge proceedings. (c) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report containing the findings of the audit conducted under subsection (a).

Summary: Defending Religious Accommodations for Military Members Act of 2022 This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to audit the religious accommodations relating to COVID-19 for the Armed Forces to ensure all applicable federal laws, and guidance and policies of the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and each military department were followed.