H.R. 828 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 828 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 6, 2023 Mr. Dunn of Florida (for himself, Mr. Jackson of Texas, Mr. Mills, Mr. Ezell, Mr. Posey, Mr. Cloud, Mr. C. Scott Franklin of Florida, Mrs. Harshbarger, Mr. Gimenez, and Mr. Buchanan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To direct the reinstatement of an individual involuntarily separated from an Armed Force solely on the basis of refusing to receive a vaccination against COVID–19. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Troop Return Of Overdue Payment Act or the TROOP Act. 2. Reinstatement and back pay for an individual involuntarily separated from an Armed Force solely on the basis of refusing to receive a vaccination against COVID–19 (a) Reinstatement At the request of a covered individual, the Secretary concerned shall— (1) reinstate the covered individual as a member of the Armed Force concerned, in the same rank and grade the covered individual held at the time of separation from the Armed Force concerned; and (2) include, in the computation of the retired or retainer pay of such covered individual, the period between the involuntary separation and the reinstatement of the covered individual. (b) Back pay A covered individual who was involuntarily discharged from an Armed Force and who makes a request under subsection (a) shall be entitled to back pay for the period between such separation and reinstatement of the covered individual. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) The term covered individual means an individual who was involuntarily separated from an Armed Force solely on the basis of the refusal of such individual to receive a vaccination against COVID–19. (2) The term Secretary concerned has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.