COVID–19 Military Backpay Act of 2025
HR 4871, the COVID-19 Military Backpay Act of 2025, allows military members discharged for non-compliance with the 2021 Department of Defense COVID-19 vaccination mandate to seek legal remedies. It provides a pathway for affected service members (active/reserve, National Guard) to file civil actions in the Court of Federal Claims, arguing their discharges were involuntary. If successful, the court can award compensation for missed inactive-duty training, retroactively count service time toward retirement (including 20-year or 18-year milestones), restore retirement benefits, and deem members eligible for reenlistment with two additional years of service. The bill specifically restores benefits like retirement pay and medical care that were lost due to the discharge, without reducing compensation for civilian employment earned afterward.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Aug 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Aug 1, 2025
Last action Aug 1, 2025
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Aug 1, 2025
Committee
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Aug 1, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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