RESTORE Act
The RESTORE Act would create a special, DoD-wide process to re-examine service members who filed religious accommodation requests, specifically those related to COVID-19 vaccine refusals, to determine if their career progression or pay was unfairly affected. A Special Review Board would audit all such decisions since 2020, assess any negative impact on promotions, assignments, or development, and, if eligible, order corrective actions such as backdated promotions, adjustments to Date of Rank, back pay and benefits, or reinstatement. Adverse actions tied to vaccine refusals or religious accommodations would be expunged from personnel records, and a formal review mechanism would let affected members seek reconsideration. The bill sets timelines for completing the review, reporting findings to Congress, and delivering compensation, and it authorizes funding to run the board, with ongoing oversight by Congress and an Inspector General audit.
Key Points
- 1Establishment of a Special Review Board within the Department of Defense to audit religious accommodation requests (especially COVID-19 vaccine refusals) and review affected service members’ records and careers.
- 2Board duties include auditing submissions since 2020 for RFRA compliance, assessing career impact, and adjudicating actions such as backdated promotions, Date of Rank corrections, restoration of pay/benefits, and reinstatement where applicable.
- 3Expungement of adverse actions from records, including reprimands, promotion delays/denials, negative evaluations, and other actions tied to vaccine refusal or religious accommodation decisions.
- 4Clear review and reporting timeline: full review within 1 year of enactment; a report to Congress within 60 days after review; quarterly progress reports; and an Inspector General audit within 18 months for independent verification.
- 5Funding and oversight: authorize appropriations as necessary to run the Special Review Board, with ongoing congressional reporting and accountability measures.