Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) will introduce legislation on Tuesday that would, if passed and signed into law, provide back pay to the thousands of troops negatively affected by former President Joe Biden’s COVID military vaccine mandate.
The legislation, which Sheehy’s team provided exclusively to Breitbart News ahead of its introduction, is designed to restore pay and benefits to thousands of U.S. service members discharged under Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
“This unacceptable action by the last administration robbed servicemembers of the pay and benefits they rightfully earned in service to our country,” Sheehy said in a statement provided to Breitbart News. “My legislation will right this wrong by building on President Trump’s Executive Order to reinstate those servicemembers, ensuring we fulfill our government’s sacred obligations to the men and women who put their lives on the line in defense of our freedoms.”
According to the press release, nearly 8,500 active-duty troops were discharged for noncompliance with Biden’s mandate, while the Army Reserve and National Guard lost over 60,000 more. In total, around 100,000 service members and their families were impacted, with many losing pay, benefits, and retirement credit.
Although Congress repealed the mandate in the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and courts later ruled the mandate unconstitutional, many former troops are still struggling to reclaim lost compensation and recognition, the press release reported.
Sheehy’s bill would allow those affected to opt into a claims process for back pay and entitlements under the Military Pay Act, with eligibility contingent on meeting specified criteria. The relief would be in addition to benefits granted under President Donald Trump’s executive order reinstating service members discharged over the mandate.
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