The partisan dispute over Covid vaccine mandates is back, and it’s set to roil Congress’ effort to pass a defense authorization law for the 63rd consecutive year. The House Armed Services Committee late Wednesday night added amendments to its version of the National Defense Authorization Act to protect the more than 8,400 troops discharged after they refused to get a Covid vaccine under a Pentagon mandate ordered in August 2021 and lifted in January. The amendments, which also begin the process of reinstating the troops, will likely conflict with the version of the bill now in the works in the Senate Armed Services Committee, and with President Joe Biden’s wishes. For service members discharged for refusing to get vaccinated, the House amendments would: — Prohibit the military from taking "any adverse action" against them, and consider reinstating them at the rank they held when discharged — Establish a board to review vaccine-related discharges — Direct the Department of Defense to reach out to service members within six months of the bill being enacted to begin the process of reinstating them — Exempt cadets and midshipmen who didn't become commissioned officers due to their unvaccinated status from having to pay back tuition at military service academies — Direct the Department of Defense to conduct a study on how much it would cost to issue back pay and $15,000 bonuses to discharged service members "This provides a fair, equitable, and honorable option for our wrongly separated service members — many who filed legitimate religious exemptions and were ignored — to return to the ranks without any detriments to their career progression," Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said during the proceedings. Ranking member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) argued against the amendments Wednesday, on the grounds that by refusing to be vaccinated service members had also refused orders. "Within the military, orders should not be viewed as optional," Smith said. What's next? The House still needs to pass the bill and reconcile it with the Senate's version, where the Democratic majority is likely to oppose the provisions.
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