117 S4304 IS: Defending Freedom of Conscience for Cadets and Midshipmen Act of 2022 U.S. Senate 2022-05-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

II117th CONGRESS2d SessionS. 4304IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESMay 25, 2022Mr. Rubio (for himself, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Risch, Mr. Braun, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Cramer, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Daines, Mr. Hoeven, and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed ServicesA BILLTo prohibit unfair treatment of cadets and midshipmen who refuse to get the COVID–19 vaccine, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Defending Freedom of Conscience for Cadets and Midshipmen Act of 2022.

2.

Definitions

In this Act:(1)

Covered individual

The term covered individual means a cadet or midshipman at a Federal service academy.(2)

Federal service academy

The term Federal service academy means the following:(A)The United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.(B)The United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.(C)The United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado.(D)The United States Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut.(E)The United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York.

3.

Prohibition on vaccine requirement for graduation from Federal service academies

A covered individual may not be required to be vaccinated for COVID–19 as a condition for graduation from a Federal service academy nor dismissed from a Federal service academy as a result of refusing to be so vaccinated.

4.

Prohibition on enforcement of repayment provisions for refusal to receive vaccine

A covered individual who is prohibited from fulfilling his or her service agreement due to that individual's decision not to be vaccinated for COVID–19 may not be subjected to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) or 373 of title 37, United States Code, or to debt repayment collections provided for under chapter 176 of title 28, United States Code, pursuant to section 7448, 8459, or 9448 of title 10, United States Code, section 1925 of title 14, United States Code, or section 51306 of title 46, United States Code, as the case may be.