118 HR 4533 IH: Cost of Wokeism in the Military Act U.S. House of Representatives 2023-07-11 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 4533IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESJuly 11, 2023Mr. Alford introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, 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 concernedA BILLTo require the Secretary of Defense to assess, and submit a report to Congress on, civilian staffing at the Department of Defense Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Cost of Wokeism in the Military Act.

2.

Assessments of staffing in DOD Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

(a)

In general

(1)

Secretary assessment

The Secretary of Defense shall conduct an assessment validating each civil service position in the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion against existing personnel of the Office. For purposes of carrying out such assessment, the head of the Office shall submit to the Secretary the alignment of total force manpower resources of the Office against core missions, tasks, and functions, including a mapping of missions to the originating statute or Department policy. (2)

Office assessment

The head of the Office shall conduct an assessment on the tasks, functions, and associated civilian personnel the Office believes are necessary to perform the duties of the Office. (3)

Secretary analysis

The Secretary shall determine whether there is any conflict between the assessment conducted under paragraph (1) and the assessment under paragraph (2), and what personnel actions (if any) the Secretary will take to eliminate such conflict. (b)

Interim briefing and report

(1)

Interim briefing

Not later than April 1, 2024, the Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense committees an interim briefing on the assessments under subsection (a). (2)

Final report

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the assessments under subsection (a). Such report shall include the following: (A)A validation of every civil service position in the Office against existing civilian personnel requirements. (B)The methodology and process through which such validation was performed. (C)Relevant statistical analysis on civil service position fill rates against validated requirements. (D)Analysis of each civil service position and grade and whether the position description and grade match the function and task requirements of the position. (E)Plan to update grades and position descriptions to meet current and future requirements, tasks, and functions. (F)Lessons learned through the civilian position validation process and statistical analysis under subparagraphs (B) through (F). (G)Any legislative, policy or budgetary recommendations of the Secretary related to the subject matter of the report. (3)

Limitation

If the final report is not submitted to Congress under paragraph (2) within one year after the date of enactment of this Act, until the date that such report is so submitted— (A)no new civil service position may be established at the Office; (B)members of the uniformed services may not be detailed or otherwise used to carry out any function or duty of the Office; and (C)no additional personal services contractors may be appointed to a position at the Office. (c)

Budget requirement

The Secretary shall, in the Secretary’s annual budget submission to the Office of Management and Budget for fiscal year 2025 and each fiscal year thereafter, identify mission changes, opportunities for automation, and business process improvements that could better optimize the size, structure, composition of the Department of Defense’s workforce and its allocation against validated requirements. (d)

Definitions

In this section— (1)the term civil service has the meaning given that term in section 2101 of title 5, United States Code; (2) the term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code; (3)the term Office means the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Department of Defense; and (4)the term Secretary means the Secretary of Defense.