A bill to provide remedies to members of the Armed Forces discharged or subject to adverse action under the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
1/17/2025, 11:56 AMSummary of Bill S 117
Bill 119 s 117, also known as the "Armed Forces COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Remedies Act," aims to provide remedies to members of the Armed Forces who have been discharged or faced adverse actions due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The bill addresses concerns raised by service members who have been separated from the military for refusing to comply with the vaccine mandate.Under this legislation, service members who have been discharged or faced adverse actions due to the vaccine mandate will have the opportunity to seek remedies through a review process. This process will allow service members to present evidence and arguments in support of their case, with the goal of ensuring fair treatment and due process.
The bill also includes provisions to ensure that service members who have been discharged or faced adverse actions due to the vaccine mandate are provided with appropriate support and resources to help them transition back to civilian life. This may include access to healthcare, mental health services, and other forms of assistance. Overall, Bill 119 s 117 seeks to address the concerns of service members who have been impacted by the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and to ensure that they are treated fairly and provided with the support they need during this challenging time.
Congressional Summary of S 117
Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots Act of 2025 or the AMERICANS Act
This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from issuing any COVID-19 vaccine mandate as a replacement for the rescinded vaccine mandate of August 24, 2021, unless the mandate is expressly authorized by Congress. The bill also provides that DOD must establish an application process for remedies for members of the Armed Forces who were discharged or subject to adverse action under the rescinded mandate.
Any administrative discharge of a member on the sole basis of a failure to receive a COVID-19 vaccine must be categorized as an honorable discharge, and DOD is prohibited from taking any adverse action against such a member for that reason.
DOD must try to retain unvaccinated members and provide such members with professional development, promotion and leadership opportunities, and consideration equal to that of their peers.
Additionally, DOD may only consider the COVID-19 vaccination status of members in making certain decisions (e.g., deployments in countries where it is the law) and must establish a process to provide exemptions to certain members for such decisions.
Members who were separated from the Armed Forces for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are not required to repay any bonuses and must be reimbursed if they repaid any portion of a bonus prior to this bill's enactment.
This bill applies to all members of the Armed Forces, regardless of whether they sought an accommodation to any DOD COVID-19 vaccination policy.
