Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has reintroduced his bill to reinstate military service members who were fired over President Biden’s vaccine mandates. Cruz and his colleagues are introducing the AMERICANS Act to the Senate, which would provide relief to servicemen and women who were wrongfully fired, demoted, forced into retirement, or terminated because of President Biden’s vaccine mandates. The legislation would allow these servicemen and women to be reinstated at their prior rank with full benefits, or to receive an honorable discharge and full benefits if they choose not to return to service.
Cruz expressed his disappointment with the Democratic majority in the Senate for not supporting the bill, but noted that he is hoping to work with Rep. Dan Bishop, (R-NC), to get the companion bill through the GOP-controlled House. Cruz said that he does not expect Democrats to support the bill, but that they may be forced to accept it as they were forced to accept the prohibition of President Biden’s vaccine mandates.
Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Rod Bishop and the Center for Military Readiness have expressed their support for Cruz’s bill, saying that it would ensure that military servicemen and women have their rights protected and are not subjected to partisan abuse by the Biden administration. Mike Berry, the First Liberty Institute’s director of military affairs and senior counsel, also supports the bill, saying that it would ensure that service members have the same constitutional religious freedom they have sworn to protect.
The bill would prohibit the Secretary of Defense from instituting another COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the future. Senator Cruz vowed that he will never stop fighting for the servicemen and women who were wrongfully terminated and wants to see the injustice corrected.
