Vaccine Discharge Parity Act

Bill: 118-hr-291
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5]
Introduced: 2023-01-11
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 personnel and dependents

Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Latest action: action_date: 2023-03-30
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-01-11
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Vaccine Discharge Parity Act</b></p> <p>This bill ensures that members of the Armed Forces who were granted a general discharge under honorable conditions (on the sole basis that the members failed to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID-19) are eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance under the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty and Post-9/11 GI Bill programs.</p> <p>The bill also extends certain loan fee rates through March 1, 2031, under the VA's home loan program.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 291 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 11, 2023 Mr. Fitzgerald (for himself, Mr. Bost , Mr. Posey , Mr. Crenshaw , Mr. Huizenga , Mr. Baird , Mrs. Miller-Meeks , Mr. Jackson of Texas , Mr. Hunt , Mr. Moore of Alabama , Mr. Mast , and Mr. Gaetz ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that a member of the Armed Forces, granted a general discharge under honorable conditions on the sole basis that such member failed to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID–19, is eligible for certain educational assistance administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Vaccine Discharge Parity Act . 2. Certain educational assistance for a member of the Armed Forces granted a general discharge under honorable conditions on the sole basis that such member failed to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID–19 (a) All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Section 3011(a)(3)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by striking an honorable discharge; and inserting an em dash; and (2) by inserting at the end the following new clauses: (i) an honorable discharge; or (ii) a general discharge under honorable conditions on the sole basis that the individual failed to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID–19; . (b) Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Section 3311(c) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) A general discharge under honorable conditions on the sole basis that the individual failed to obey a lawful order to receive a vaccine for COVID–19. . (c) Loan fees The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking January 14, 2031 each place it appears and inserting March 1, 2031 .