(NewsNation) — Congress may require the U.S. Department of Defense to review the reinstatement of thousands of military service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, as indicated by a draft version of the annual defense bill.

The latest draft of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, indicates that the DOD would need to consider reinstatement for any servicemember discharged provided they submitted an exemption request, such as for religious, administrative or medical reasons.

If reinstated, the time away from service would be defined as a period of inactivation.

Additionally, the draft includes a provision that would require the DOD to conduct a study on the potential health impacts of vaccinated service members who received the vaccine.

The prospect of reinstating troops who refused COVID shots has been a significant point for House Republicans. Last year’s defense bill led the Pentagon to cancel the vaccine mandate earlier this year.

The bill initially implemented the requirement to help protect service memebers against the coronavirus in an effort to maintain the country’s military readiness.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted at the time that more than two million service members and 96 percent of the force were fully vaccinated.

More than 7,000 troops left the armed services due to the vaccine requirement, as reported by Axios, with several service members filing lawsuits.

NewsNation reached out to some of their attorneys, but some stated they were not available for comment.

In response to a request for comments, the Pentagon spokesperson said they don’t comment on pending legislation. The DOD has maintained immunization requirements for decades, mandating all members receive certain shots for various illnesses or diseases based on deployment locations.

The Hill contributed to this report.