Defending Religious Accommodations for Military Members Act of 2022
Bill: S.5177 | Sponsor: Sen. Scott, Rick (R-FL)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

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.

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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Defending Religious Accommodations 
for Military Members Act of 2022''.

SEC. 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'') for the Armed Forces to ensure all Federal laws, and guidance and 
policies of the Department of Defense, 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), and each military department, 
were followed with respect to such accommodations.
    (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).
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