Wisconsin Rep. Fitzgerald Introduces Motion to Protect Veteran Benefits from Biden Vaccine Mandate
January 14, 2022 | Wisconsin
Wisconsin Representative Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-05) introduced a motion to protect veteran G.I. Bill benefits from the Biden administration’s COVID vaccine mandate.
Fitzgerald shared his concerns on the floor.
“The Secretary of Defense issued a directive requiring mandatory COVID vaccination for all service members, including those in the Ready Reserve, and the National Guard. Despite the challenges this vaccine mandate currently faces in court, the Defense Department has proceeded to discharge those who refuse the vaccine,” he said.
Fitzgerald continued explaining how the G.I. Bill benefits could be on the line for some discharged service members.
He said, “To prevent those who have refused the vaccine from being dishonorably discharged, Congress included a provision in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act limiting discharges for failure to receive the COVID vaccine to either an honorable discharge, or a general discharge under honorable conditions.”
Veterans who receive a discharge from service, like many have due to the COVID vaccine requirements, “are ineligible for both Montgomery and Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits due to restrictions Congress implemented in 2011,” Fitzgerald explained… (Excerpts from the Wisconsin Daily Star)
