I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 881 
To establish certain protections for a member of the Armed Forces, or 
a cadet or midshipman at a Federal service academy, who refuses to 
receive a vaccination against COVID–19. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 8, 2023 
Mr. STEUBE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish certain protections for a member of the Armed 
Forces, or a cadet or midshipman at a Federal service 
academy, who refuses to receive a vaccination against 
COVID–19. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safeguarding the U.S. 
Armed Forces and Service Academies Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CERTAIN PROTECTIONS FOR A MEMBER OF THE 
ARMED FORCES, OR A CADET OR MID-
SHIPMAN AT A FEDERAL SERVICE ACADEMY, 
WHO REFUSES TO RECEIVE A VACCINATION 
AGAINST COVID–19. 
(a) PROHIBITIONS.— 
(1) VACCINE
MANDATES.—No Federal funds 
may be used— 
(A) to enforce a mandate, in effect on the 
date of the enactment of this Act, that a mem-
ber of the Armed Forces, or a cadet or mid-
shipman at a Federal service academy, receive 
a vaccination against COVID–19; or 
(B) to establish or enforce, on or after the 
effective date of this Act, a mandate that a 
member of the Armed Forces, or a cadet or 
midshipman at a Federal service academy, re-
ceive a vaccination against COVID–19. 
(2) ADVERSE
ACTION.—No member of the 
Armed Forces, or cadet or midshipman at a Federal 
service academy, may be subject to adverse action 
solely on the basis of the refusal of such member, 
cadet, or midshipman to receive a vaccination 
against COVID–19. 
(b) REINSTATEMENT.—At the request of a covered 
individual, the Secretary concerned shall— 
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(1) reinstate the covered individual— 
(A) as a member of the Armed Force con-
cerned, in the same rank and grade the covered 
individual held at the time of separation from 
the Armed Force concerned; or 
(B) as a cadet or midshipman at the Fed-
eral service academy concerned, with the credits 
the covered individual had completed at the 
time of separation from such Federal service 
academy; 
(2) expunge from the service record of the cov-
ered individual any reference to adverse action 
against the covered individual solely on the basis of 
the refusal of the covered individual to receive a vac-
cination against COVID–19; and 
(3) include, in the computation of the retired or 
retainer pay of such covered individual, the period 
between the involuntary separation and the rein-
statement of the covered individual. 
(c) BACK PAY.—A covered individual who was invol-
untarily discharged from an Armed Force and who makes 
a request under subsection (b) shall be entitled to back 
pay for the period between such separation and reinstate-
ment of the covered individual. 
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