Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) co-sponsored the Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots (AMERICANS) Act of 2023, bicameral legislation derived from a Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 23) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provision that directed the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to rescind its COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Among other things, the bill would prohibit DOD from issuing a replacement COVID-19 vaccine mandate without Congressional approval.
“To implement its far-left agenda, the Biden Administration weaponized the COVID-19 vaccine by mandating it for military members – an undeniable infringement on individuals’ morals and religious beliefs,” said Senator Cramer. “As military recruitment and retention declines, the AMERICANS Act would rightfully protect our service members from any similar future mandates and ensure the brave men and women who seek to defend our great country can do so.”
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) leads the legislation in the Senate, and Congressman Dan Bishop (R-NC) leads the companion bill in the House of Representatives.
“Our military continues to feel the effects of the Biden administration’s reckless, misguided, and now-prohibited vaccine mandates. I’m glad that we were able to remove the COVID-19 vaccine mandate last Congress, but there is more work to do. The AMERICANS Act would correct the wrongs done to unvaccinated service members who were discharged for exercising their conscience,” said Senator Cruz.
“While last year’s NDAA directed that SECDEF rescind the DOD’s authoritarian COVID vaccine mandate, it didn’t prohibit the DOD from issuing a similar mandate in the future. The bill also didn’t provide any meaningful remedies for servicemembers who were kicked out due to the mandate. This is completely unacceptable. Sen. Cruz and my bill, the AMERICANS Act, will close these glaring loopholes and bring justice to military members who were purged by Secretary Austin’s egregious vaccine mandate,” said Congressman Bishop.
Senator Cramer is also joined by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), James Risch (R-ID), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN.), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rick Scott (R-FL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mike Braun (R-IN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Rand Paul (R-KY), Marco Rubio (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).
“While the DOD ending their vaccine mandate for service members is a welcome first step, we must continue to push for the repeal of all related penalties and forced separations previously imposed on our women and men of our Armed Forces,” said Senator Crapo.
“America’s brave service members were given an unfair, unjust ultimatum when U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin instituted a vaccine mandate. While few service members received religious and health exemptions, most were discharged, and denied GI eligibility. Thankfully this vaccine mandate was rescinded, but Congress must right the wrongs of the Biden Administration’s initial mandate. Through the AMERICANS Act, the Secretary of Defense is prohibited from replacing this initial mandate with another and it requires the reinstatement or restoration of rank for any service member separated or demoted due solely for vaccine status,” said Senator Risch.
“Over 8,000 servicemembers were discharged because of the Biden administration’s unjust COVID vaccine mandate, and many were denied the benefits of honorable service. This is an utter slap in the face to the brave men and women who have volunteered to defend our nation. While we were successful in rescinding the military COVID mandate, we must now ensure separated servicemembers are offered immediate reinstatement and full compensation for their loss of benefits,” said Senator Blackburn.
“I’m immensely proud of Congress’s work that resulted in the rescission of the military’s vaccine mandate, but we still have work to do. We must take steps to fully restore those service members who continue to experience the ramifications of this misguided and unjust policy. I’m proud to cosponsor Sen. Ted Cruz’s and Rep. Dan Bishop’s AMERICANS Act to prevent this type of mandate from being reinstated and to provide the necessary remedies to those service members harmed by DOD’s policy,” said Senator Lee.
“The military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate was disastrous for military readiness and needlessly destroyed the lives and careers of thousands of brave service members. Our brave men and women in uniform put their lives on the line to protect this great country, and the fact that their sincere religious concerns were not handled with fairness and impartiality is unacceptable. We must right these wrongs. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in introducing the AMERICANS Act to ensure this complete government overreach will never happen again,” said Senator Scott.
“The COVID-19 vaccine mandate has ruined the livelihoods of men and women who have honorably served our country. This inept bureaucratic policy should have never been imposed, and while it has since been rolled back, we still have service members who have not been rehired, promoted, or received back pay and benefits. The AMERICANS Act will address these issues and others that the Biden administration has failed to consider at the expense of service members’ lives and our nation’s national security interests,” said Senator Paul.
Click here for bill text.