To direct the Secretary concerned to reinstate a member involuntarily separated from the Armed Forces solely on the basis of the refusal of such member to receive a vaccination against COVID-19.

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 297 To direct the Secretary concerned to reinstate a member involuntarily sepa- rated from the Armed Forces solely on the basis of the refusal of such member to receive a vaccination against COVID–19. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 11, 2023 Mr. MAST (for himself, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. VAN DREW, Mrs. HARSHBARGER, Mr. BABIN, Mr. POSEY, Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. HUIZENGA, Mr. ALLEN, Mrs. MCCLAIN, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. RUTHERFORD, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. STEUBE, Ms. TENNEY, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. BURCHETT, Mr. CLOUD, Mr. BOST, Mr. PERRY, Mr. MASSIE, Mr. STAUBER, Mr. JOHN- SON of Ohio, Mr. HUNT, Mr. CLINE, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. FALLON, Mr. LOUDERMILK, Mr. FINSTAD, Mr. ZINKE, and Mr. DONALDS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Serv- ices A BILL To direct the Secretary concerned to reinstate a member involuntarily separated from the Armed Forces solely on the basis of the refusal of such member to receive a vaccination against COVID–19. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:18 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H297.IH H297 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 297 IH SECTION 1. REINSTATEMENT OF MEMBERS INVOLUN- 1 TARILY SEPARATED FROM THE ARMED 2 FORCES ON THE BASIS OF REFUSAL TO RE- 3 CEIVE VACCINATIONS AGAINST COVID–19. 4 (a) REINSTATEMENT.—At the election of a covered 5 individual, the Secretary concerned shall reinstate such 6 covered individual— 7 (1) as a member of the Armed Force concerned; 8 and 9 (2) in the grade held by such covered individual 10 immediately before the involuntary separation of the 11 covered individual. 12 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 13 (1) The term ‘‘covered individual’’ means an in- 14 dividual involuntarily separated from the Armed 15 Forces solely on the basis of the refusal of such indi- 16 vidual to receive a vaccination against COVID–19. 17 (2) The term ‘‘Secretary concerned’’ has the 18 meaning given that term in section 101 of title 10, 19 United States Code. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:18 Jan 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H297.IH H297 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB