Bill > HR9046

This bill, titled the "COVID-19 Military Mandate Transparency Act," requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a comprehensive study and submit a report within 180 days on service members who were separated from the Armed Forces due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The study will focus on "covered individuals," defined as those separated between August 24, 2021, and January 10, 2023, solely because they refused the COVID-19 vaccine, and their "covered dependents," who are dependents of these service members that were to receive transferred education benefits. The report must detail the number of covered individuals, those who initiated or completed the transfer of education benefits (governed by section 3319 of title 38, United States Code) before separation, and the number denied religious exemptions from the vaccine mandate. It will also track service members who returned to service under Executive Order 14184 and analyze the budgetary impact of allowing dependents to use education benefits even if the service member didn't complete the required years of service. The report will be disaggregated by various factors like the branch of service, component, grade, years of service, and discharge characterization, and must be made publicly available online.