To establish certain protections for members of the Armed Forces who refuse to receive vaccinations against COVID-19.

Bill: 117-hr-6288
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2021-12-14
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Immunology and vaccination

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Military medicine

Military personnel and dependents

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Veterans' pensions and compensation

Wages and earnings
Latest action: action_date: 2021-12-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-12-14
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill requires that a discharge or dismissal of a member of the Armed Forces must be characterized as honorable in situations where the individual was discharged or dismissed solely for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.</p> <p>Such individuals may not be denied retired or retainer pay or any benefits through the Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs solely on the basis that they refused to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6288 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 14, 2021 Mr. Smith of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To establish certain protections for members of the Armed Forces who refuse to receive vaccinations against COVID–19.

1. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that no member of the Armed Forces should be required to receive a vaccination against COVID-19. 2. Protections for members of the Armed Forces who refuse to receive vaccinations against COVID-19 (a) Characterization of discharge or dismissal (1) Prohibition of dishonorable characterization The characterization of the discharge or dismissal of a covered individual shall be honorable. (2) Upgrade In the case of a covered individual discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces before the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary concerned shall upgrade the characterization of such discharge or dismissal to honorable. (b) Prohibition of denial of retired pay and benefits No covered individual may be denied, solely on the basis that such individual is a covered individual, any— (1) retired or retainer pay; or (2) benefit under a law administered by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (including post-9/11 educational assistance under chapter 33 of title 38, United States Code). (c) Definitions In this section: (1) The term covered individual means an individual involuntarily separated from the Armed Forces solely on the basis of the refusal of such individual to receive a vaccination against COVID-19. (2) The term Secretary concerned has the meaning given that term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.