Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined 17 of her Republican colleagues this week in introducing a bill requiring the Secretary of Defense to offer reinstatement to service members who were fired over the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots (AMERICANS) Act of 2023 would reinstate any service member fired for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine and credit them with the time of involuntary separation for retirement pay calculations. The bill would also work to restore the service member’s rank at the time of demotion while also compensating them for any pay and benefits lost due to that demotion.
Furthermore, the bill would provide an exemption process for service members with natural immunity, an underlying health condition, or a religious belief that prohibits vaccination.
“Over 8,000 service members were discharged because of the Biden administration’s unjust COVID vaccine mandate, and many were denied the benefits of honorable service,” Blackburn said in a statement. “This is an utter slap in the face to the brave men and women who have volunteered to defend our nation.”
Due to Biden's unfair COVID vaccine requirement, over 8,000 servicemembers were discharged, and many of them were not given compensation for their service.
After successfully rescinding the mandate, servicemembers need to be offered full compensation for their loss of benefits.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) January 25, 2023
The AMERICANS Act follows the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2023, which terminated the Department of Defense’s mandate that service members be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Blackburn applauded the passage and enactment of the NDAA at the time, however, she emphasized the importance of reinstating service members who were discharged for not complying with the mandate.
“The Pentagon must also correct relevant military records to ensure those who were unfairly targeted do not have black marks on their record,” Blackburn stated at the time. “Those who have volunteered to defend our freedom deserve the freedom to decide for themselves whether or not to get vaccinated.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Marsha Blackburn” by Marsha Blackburn.
It would be nice if Marsha actually got a bill passed. She sure gets enough face time without accomplishing anything. But is not the status quo for Tennessee senators?
Knowing that the bill will not get Traitor Joe’s signature for passage into law.
She’s posturing.
She was one of the 43 RINO senators who voted in favor of affirming Traitor Joe’s fraudulent Electoral Votes that put him in the White House in order to protect their swamp from the “bad orange man”:
Marsha Blackburn TN, Mike Braun IN, Steve Daines MT, Bill Hagerty TN, Ron Johnson WI, James Lankford OK, Kelly Loeffler GA, John Barrasso WY, Roy Blunt MO, John Boozman AR, Richard Burr NC, Shelley Moore Capito WV, Bill Cassidy LA, Susan Collins ME, John Cornyn TX, Tom Cotton AR, Kevin Cramer ND, Mike Crapo ID, Joni Ernst IA, Deb Fischer NE, Lindsey O. Graham SC, Charles E. Grassley IA, John Hoeven ND, James M. Inhofe OK, Mike Lee UT, Mitch McConnell KY, Jerry Moran KS, Lisa Murkowski AK, Rand Paul KY, Rob Portman OH, James E. Risch ID, Mitt Romney UT, Mike Rounds SD, Marco Rubio FL, Ben Sasse NE, Tim Scott SC, Richard C. Shelby AL, Dan Sullivan AK, John Thune SD, Thom Tillis NC, Patrick J. Toomey PA, Roger Wicker MS, Todd C. Young IN
Only 8 Senators Refused to Affirm Traitor Joe’s Fraudulent Electoral Votes:
Ted Cruz TX, Josh Hawley MO, Cindy Hyde-Smith MS, John Neely Kennedy LA, Cynthia Lummis WY, Roger Marshall KS, Rick Scott FL , Tommy Tuberville AL
the bill needs to fire anyone involved in instituting the mandate.
Just firing them doesn’t go far enough…some of them belong in prison!!