RESTORE Act

This bill would set up a Special Review Board in the Department of Defense to look at cases of troops who asked for religious exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine and stayed in the military. The board would audit how these requests were handled since 2020, check if people’s careers were hurt because they asked for an exemption or refused the shot, and fix records and careers where needed. Fixes could include backdated promotions, correcting dates of rank, restoring lost pay and benefits, reinstating someone if a denial was later found unlawful, and removing negative notes from files related to vaccine refusal or other protected religious requests.

The board must finish reviewing all affected troops within one year. Then, within 60 days, the Pentagon must report findings and actions taken, and pay out any owed promotions or benefits within 60 days of each case review. The bill also requires early and ongoing oversight: an initial report within 90 days, quarterly updates, and an independent audit by the Defense Department’s Inspector General within 18 months. Funds are authorized as needed to carry this out .

Key points

• Who is affected: Service members on active duty, Reserve (including IRR), or National Guard who filed a religious accommodation request for the COVID-19 vaccine; includes those whose records show adverse actions tied to such requests or refusals.
• What changes: A new review board audits past decisions, repairs careers, restores pay and benefits, and clears negative records tied to vaccine-related religious requests.
• When: Full review within 1 year of enactment; report due 60 days later; compensation within 60 days of each case review; initial findings in 90 days; quarterly reports; Inspector General audit by 18 months .