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119-hr-3240119th Congress

RESTORE Act

Sponsored By: Representative Jackson, Ronny [R-TX-13]

Introduced

Summary

Creates a Special Review Board to audit COVID-19 vaccine religious accommodation requests across the Department of Defense and restore service members whose careers were harmed by those decisions. The board would check consistency with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and order fixes like back pay, promotions, record expungements, and reinstatements where it finds improper adverse actions.

Show full summary
  • Service members who filed religious accommodation requests would get case reviews for career harm, possible expungement of negative actions, backdated promotions, restored pay and benefits, and potential reinstatement if they left for related reasons.
  • Reserve and National Guard personnel would see specific fixes like issuance of Inactive Duty Training points so they receive a satisfactory participation year and other adjustments that restore competitiveness affected by vaccine-related actions.
  • Department of Defense leaders would face a DoD-wide audit with deadlines: an initial findings report in 90 days, a full review within one year, quarterly case reports, and an Inspector General audit within 18 months to assess implementation and RFRA consistency.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

New review board for military vaccine exemptions

If you sought a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine, this bill would set up a special review board. The board would audit requests and decisions going back to 2020 and review your personnel record. You could ask for a review even if your request was approved or denied. The full review would need to finish within one year after enactment. The bill would also allow funding as needed to run this board and defines who is covered and what counts as an adverse action.

Restore rank, pay, and records for troops

If the board finds you were harmed, it could order backdated promotions and fix your date of rank. It could restore back pay, retirement contributions, and bonuses, and reinstate you if you left due to an unlawful denial. It would remove reprimands, bad evaluations, promotion delays, and other adverse entries tied only to vaccine refusal or a protected accommodation. Reserve members would get training points adjusted so they receive a satisfactory year. The Secretary would need to deliver ordered pay and benefits within 60 days after your case review is completed.

Defense audit and reports to Congress

The Secretary would send an initial findings report to Congress within 90 days after enactment. DoD would send quarterly reports on cases reviewed, back pay, promotions, restored benefits, expungements, and any recommendations. After the review ends, a post-review report would be due within 60 days. The Defense Department Inspector General would audit implementation within 18 months and check if RFRA was applied consistently.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Jackson, Ronny [R-TX-13]

TX • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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