Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, will reintroduce a bill to reinstate members of the military who were dismissed for noncompliance with COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Cruz told Fox News that the Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots (AMERICANS) Act "would provide relief to every one of those servicemen and women, would provide an avenue for those who want to return to service to be reinstated at their prior rank with full benefits.
"And for those who choose not to return to service, to ensure that their discharge is honorable, rather than merely a general discharge, and ensure that they receive the full benefits that they have earned defending our nation."
Cruz added that Republicans "won a tremendous victory in the NDAA [National Defense Authorization Act] by finally stopping Joe Biden's abusive COVID vaccine mandates that he had used to fire thousands of soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines and Coast Guardsmen."
Cruz added: "That victory is worth celebrating. That no more will servicemen and women be forced to choose between continuing to defend our nation and following their own conscience on questions of religious liberty and personal health care choices.
"Unfortunately, that legislation that was passed was prospective only. It stopped the mandate going forward, but it didn't provide relief to the thousands of servicemen and women who were wrongfully fired, who were targeted for demotion, for forced retirements, for termination."
Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., has sponsored a companion bill in the House.