SLS 23RS-179 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 117
BY SENATOR CATHEY
CONGRESS. Memorializes Congress to pass the AMERICANS Act of 2023 to reinstate
any service member removed from any branch of the military for refusing the COVID-19
vaccine.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To memorialize the Congress of the United States to pass the AMERICANS Act of 2023 to
3 reinstate any service member removed from any branch of the military for refusing
4 the COVID-19 vaccine.
5 WHEREAS, in August of 2021, United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin
6 required COVID-19 vaccinations for all service members; and
7 WHEREAS, at the direction of Congress in January of 2022, Secretary Austin
8 rescinded the COVID-19 vaccination mandate; and
9 WHEREAS, during the effective period of the mandate, approximately eight
10 thousand two hundred service members of the armed forces were discharged for refusing to
11 get the vaccine for religious or other reasons; and
12 WHEREAS, while the passing of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act
13 ended the mandate, it did not go far enough to prevent a similar mandate in the future or
14 provide meaningful remedies for service members that were kicked out of the military; and
15 WHEREAS, if the AMERICANS Act of 2023 is enacted, service members that were
16 involuntarily separated from their service would be credited with missed retirement pay,
17 have their rank restored, and receive any compensation for any pay or benefits lost due to
18 the demotion or discharge; and
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SLS 23RS-179 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, the AMERICANS Act of 2023 would also change any "general"
2 discharge given to the unvaccinated to "honorable" and expunge the records of service
3 members who faced adverse action for their refusal to be vaccinated; and
4 WHEREAS, the enactment of the AMERICANS Act of 2023 would result in a fair
5 and just outcome for those loyal service members who were discharged for remaining true
6 to their personal convictions.
7 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
8 does hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to pass the AMERICANS Act
9 of 2023 to reinstate any service member removed from any branch of the military for
10 refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
12 to the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of
13 Representatives and to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States
14 Congress.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alan Miller.
DIGEST
SR 117 Original 2023 Regular Session Cathey
Memorializes Congress to pass the AMERICANS Act of 2023 to reinstate any service
member removed from any branch of the military for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
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