# 119-hr-4871: COVID–19 Military Backpay Act of 2025

119-hr-4871, COVID–19 Military Backpay Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1] (R-MT); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4871
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-4871
- Congress: 119
- Title: COVID–19 Military Backpay Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-08-01
- Sponsor: Rep. Zinke, Ryan K. [R-MT-1] (R-MT)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Restoring pay and benefits** for service members discharged for not complying with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. The bill would let eligible active, reserve, and National Guard members sue in the Court of Federal Claims for a finding that their discharge was involuntary or unlawful and obtain monetary and non-monetary remedies.

## Cosponsors (5)

- Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7] (R-GA), 2025-08-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX), 2025-08-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9] (R-AZ), 2025-08-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27] (R-TX), 2025-08-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Patronis, Jimmy [R-FL-1] (R-FL), 2025-08-01T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Back pay and retirement credit for troops: benefit, high. If a court rules your discharge was involuntary or unlawful, you would be treated as if you kept serving. You would get service credit from your discharge through the end of your term plus a two-year extension, and could reenlist despite reentry codes. This credit could push you to 18 or 20 years,…
- New court path for vaccine discharge cases: benefit, medium. If enacted, covered service members could sue in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims over vaccine-related discharges. The court would clearly have jurisdiction, even if other rules would block the case. Defendants could not call the discharge voluntary if it was only due to vaccine noncompliance or st…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-9298: Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act
- 119-hr-925: Dismantle DEI Act of 2025
- 119-hr-404: Hearing Protection Act
- 119-hr-425: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act
- 119-hr-5874: Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-4871 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4871)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-9298: Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9298)
- [119-hr-925: Dismantle DEI Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-925)
- [119-hr-404: Hearing Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-404)
- [119-hr-425: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-425)
- [119-hr-5874: Firearm Access During Shutdowns Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5874)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4871 (as of 2026-04-21).