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Bill

S 117

An act relating to wage and hour, unemployment compensation, and workers' compensation

2025-2026 Regular Session

S.117 AMERICANS Act aims to formalize vaccine exemptions for U.S. military personnel, shaping DoD vaccination policy and potentially affecting readiness and accommodations.

Senate Message: Signed by Governor 5/28/2025
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Bill Summary · S 117

Summary of Senate Bill S.117 – AMERICANS Act

Overview

  • Bill number: S. 117
  • Title: AMERICANS Act (Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots Act of 2025)
  • Status: Introduced in the Senate; referred to the Committee on Armed Services
  • Introduced: January 16, 2025
  • Companion bill: HR 511

Purpose and Intent

  • The introduced title suggests the bill is intended to create or formalize exemptions for military personnel and to recognize individual concerns regarding new vaccines or injections. The provided content does not include the full text or specific policy details, so the precise statutory mechanics and criteria for exemptions are not disclosed here. The act’s purpose, as inferred from the title, is to address vaccination-related policy within the military and to provide exemptions or accommodations.

Key Provisions (as introduced)

  • The excerpted content only establishes the act’s citation and name. No substantive provisions (definitions, exemption criteria, approval processes, timelines, or enforcement mechanisms) are included in the material provided.
  • Specific details about how exemptions would be granted, by whom, or what forms of vaccination are affected are not available in the supplied text.

Legislative Status and Timeline

  • 2025-01-16: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
  • 2025-01-16: Introduced in Senate
  • The bill has a companion in the House: HR 511

Sponsors

  • Primary sponsor: Ted Cruz
  • Notable cosponsors (alphabetical): Josh Hawley, John Hoeven, James C. Justice, Rick Scott, Mike Lee, Ted Budd, Ron Johnson, Steve Daines, Katie Britt, Mike Crapo, John Cornyn, Tim Sheehy, James E. Risch, Marsha Blackburn
  • The list includes a broad set of Republican senators and indicates cross-caucus support at the sponsor level for the introduced measure.

Who and What Would Be Affected

  • Likely affected: United States military personnel and the Department of Defense’s vaccination policies.
  • Potential impacts could involve exemptions from vaccine requirements, accommodations for individuals with objections to certain vaccines, and potential effects on readiness or personnel management—though exact provisions are not detailed in the available text.

Related Bills

  • HR 511 (companion bill in the House)

Next Steps for Readers

  • To understand the bill’s actual mandates, exemption criteria, and operational impact, review the full text once released by the Senate and any committee reports or amendments. Tracking updates from the Committee on Armed Services will provide the status of hearings, proposed amendments, and potential floor action.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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