Prohibition against any covid–19 vaccine mandate or adverse action against dhs employees

(a) Limitation on imposition of new mandate The Secretary may not issue any COVID–19 vaccine mandate unless Congress expressly authorizes such a mandate. (b) Prohibition on adverse action The Secretary may not take any adverse action against a Department employee based solely on the refusal of such employee to receive a vaccine for COVID–19. (c) Report Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall report to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate on the following: (1) The number of Department employees who were terminated or resigned due to the COVID–19 vaccine mandate. (2) An estimate of the cost to reinstate such employees. (3) How the Department would effectuate reinstatement of such employees. (d) Retention and development of unvaccinated employees The Secretary shall make every effort to retain Department employees who are not vaccinated against COVID–19 and provide such employees with professional development, promotion and leadership opportunities, and consideration equal to that of their peers.