Rep. Roy leads legislation to protect service members from termination over Biden’s vaccine mandate

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, Rep. Roy (TX-21), joined by 7 of his House Republican colleagues, introduced the Service Restoration Act to ensure that American servicemen and women in uniform are not fired for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine and that those already fired can return to military service.

Due to President Biden's anti-science vaccine mandate, hundreds of battle-ready service members have been separated from the Armed Forces so far. Worse, the Department of Defense (DOD) has denied many medical and religious exemptions, which has resulted in forcing service members to choose either their faith or livelihoods.

"Because of President Biden's power-hungry, anti-science COVID-19 vaccine mandate, hundreds of valuable American service members are being forced out of our military, taking with them years of subject-matter expertise, careers of selfless sacrifice, and lifelong dreams of military service. This is strategically foolish, profoundly unamerican, and completely unacceptable," Rep. Roy said of the bill. "I introduced the Service Restoration Act to ensure that the brave men and women of our armed forces are not fired over this wrong-headed mandate — whether it be for a medical, religious, conscientious or any reason — and that those already dismissed are able to get back to honorably serving their country with their time of service and their records rightfully restored."

The bill would protect our men and women of the Armed Forces from the vaccine mandate the Biden Administration has implemented on the Pentagon. This legislation also:

• Prohibits Federal funds from being used to require a member of the Armed Forces to receive the COVID-19 vaccine;
• Requires the Secretary to reinstate members of the Armed Force who wish to return to duty at the same rank;
• Requires the Secretary to still count the service members' time separated from the military towards their retirement benefits;
• Requires the Secretary to expunge from the service members' record any adverse action due to refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Cosponsors to this bill include Reps Marjorie Taylor Green (GA-14), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Bill Posey (FL-08), Matt Rosendale (MT-18), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Van Taylor (TX-03), and Bob Good (VA-05).

Full text of the legislation is available at the link here.

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