Bill · S. 117· Senate(119-S-117)
AMERICANS Act
- Introduced
- 1/16/2025
- Last activity
- 1/16/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Sponsored by
- Ted Cruz
- Cosponsors
- - 14 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The AMERICANS Act aims to provide remedies to members of the Armed Forces who were discharged or faced adverse actions due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. It prevents the Secretary of Defense from issuing a replacement mandate without express congressional authorization. For those discharged, the bill allows for adjusting discharge status to honorable and reinstating members to their highest held grade. It also requires the removal of adverse actions from service records and the compensation of lost pay and benefits. Additionally, the act seeks to retain unvaccinated members by providing equal professional opportunities and establishing an exemption process for specific circumstances. Finally, it releases former members from obligations to repay bonuses received prior to their separation.
Yes· 3 of 7
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?+8
The bill restores service status, rank, pay, and benefits to members discharged due to vaccine mandates.
Does this protect the freedom to practise a religion?+7
The bill establishes a process to provide vaccination exemptions for those with sincerely held religious beliefs.
Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive?+6
The bill provides remedies such as honorable discharge status, pay compensation, and bonus reimbursements to former members.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Discharged Members: Members who were separated from the military because they refused a COVID-19 vaccine can have their status adjusted to an "honorable discharge" (Section 2(b)(1)).
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Reinstatement Opportunities: Members can be reinstated to the highest grade they held before their involuntary separation (Section 2(b)(2)).
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Financial Recovery: Members subject to adverse actions can be compensated for lost pay and benefits, and the time they were separated can be included in the computation of retired or retainer pay (Section 2(b)(3) and Section 2(b)(5)).
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Record Clearing: The bill allows for the expungement of adverse actions and any references to those actions from a member's service record (Section 2(b)(4)).
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Career Development: Unvaccinated members are to be provided with professional development, promotion, and leadership opportunities equal to their peers (Section 2(d)(1)).
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Deployment Exemptions: A process will be created to provide vaccination exemptions for those with natural immunity, underlying health conditions, or sincerely held religious beliefs during certain deployments (Section 2(d)(3)).
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Bonus Relief: Former members who were separated for refusing the vaccine will be released from any obligation to repay bonuses, and those who already repaid them will be reimbursed (Section 2(e)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Rank Reductions: During reinstatement, a member may still experience a reduction in rank if that reduction was not related to their COVID-19 vaccination status (Section 2(b)(2) and Section 2(b)(3)(A)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Veterans+8Good For Low Income Households+5Good For Union Workers+5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Religious Freedom+7
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+6
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+5
- Governance And Ideology
- Increase States Rights+4
- 3/4/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/16/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- 13 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Marsha BlackburnRepublican · Tennessee
Ted BuddRepublican · North Carolina
Katie BrittRepublican · Alabama
Mike CrapoRepublican · Idaho
John CornynRepublican · Texas
Steve DainesRepublican · Montana
John HoevenRepublican · North Dakota
Josh HawleyRepublican · Missouri
Ron JohnsonRepublican · Wisconsin
James JusticeRepublican · West Virginia
Mike LeeRepublican · Utah
James RischRepublican · Idaho
Rick ScottRepublican · Florida
Tim SheehyRepublican · Montana