[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4305 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 492
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4305
[Report No. 118-214]
To improve the effectiveness of body armor issued to female agents and
officers of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 9, 2024
Mr. Peters (for himself, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Ossoff, and Mr. Rounds)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
September 9, 2024
Reported by Mr. Peters, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the effectiveness of body armor issued to female agents and
officers of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``DHS Better Ballistic Body
Armor Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Ballistic Resistant Body Armor.--The term ``ballistic
resistant body armor'' means torso ballistic protection containing soft
ballistic panels, hard ballistic panels, or a combination of both,
contained within a carrier, which may be concealable for wear under a
uniform shirt or external for wear over a uniform shirt, and holds
panels and plates in position on the torso.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Homeland Security.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Homeland Security.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. PROCUREMENT OF BALLISTIC RESISTANT BODY ARMOR TO
ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FEMALE AGENTS
AND OFFICERS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--The Secretary shall require components of
the Department, when procuring ballistic resistant body armor for
individuals whose body shapes are most closely associated with female
agents and officers, to procure ballistic resistant body armor that--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) is specifically designed to fully protect body
shapes most closely associated with female agents and
officers;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) is made to conform to the individual wearer
and provide the best possible fit and coverage to allow for
either a flat or shaped front panel;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) is assessed and verified, upon delivery, to
fit properly and have sufficient coverage in accordance with
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International)
standards for fit;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) has enhanced and advanced fit and technology
that stops a bullet from skipping off the chest at an upward
angle into the throat region or the spinal cord area;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) is certified by the National Institute of
Justice (referred to in this paragraph as ``NIJ''), pursuant to
the NIJ standard for ballistic resistant body armor, and listed
on the associated NIJ Compliant Products List as successfully
passing the ballistic resistant body armor standards in
accordance with the applicable ballistic protection level
recommended by the NIJ, including passing testing that uses--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) ballistic testing on gender-specific
clay or gelatin molds to ensure better contact of
nonplanar panels with clay or gelatin molds;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) soft body armor front panels contained
in soft carriers on female-shaped clay or gelatin molds
designed to fill the space behind the panel;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) shots to be placed on shaping
features;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) angled shots; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) an angled shot at the chest that tests
the concerns of bullet skipping into the neckline of
each test sample to address the concern of a bullet
skipping.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Annual Reports.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Issuance of ballistic resistant body armor.--
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this
Act, and annually thereafter for the following 2 years, the
head of each relevant component agency of the Department shall
submit a report to the Secretary regarding the ballistic
resistant body armor issued to female agents and officers of
such component agency, including, with respect to the reporting
period--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the number of female agents and
officers to whom ballistic resistant body armor was
issued for performance of their official
duties;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the number of ballistic resistant body
armor units the use of which was discontinued due to
noncompliance with the requirements described in
subsection (a);</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the number of ballistic resistant body
armor units issued to female agents and officers that
are compliant with the requirements described in
subsection (a); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the percentage of female agents and
officers of such component agency who, as of the last
day of the reporting period, have been issued and are
regularly using ballistic resistant body armor that
complies with the requirements described in subsection
(a), disaggregated by duty station.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Aggregate report.--Not later than 30 days
after receiving all of the reports required to be submitted
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a report that
aggregates all of the data contained in such reports to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of
this Act, all agents and officers of any component of the Department
who have a body shape most closely associated with female agents and
officers shall have been issued body armor that meets the requirements
described in section 3(a).</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``DHS Better Ballistic Body Armor
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(a) Ballistic Resistant Body Armor.--The term ``ballistic
resistant body armor'' means torso ballistic protection containing
either soft ballistic panels, hard ballistic panels, or a combination
of both, contained within a carrier, which may be concealable for wear
under a uniform shirt or external for wear over a uniform shirt, and
holds panels and plates in position on the torso.
(b) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the Department of
Homeland Security.
(c) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Homeland Security.
SEC. 3. PROCUREMENT OF BALLISTIC RESISTANT BODY ARMOR TO ENSURE THE
PROTECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FEMALE AGENTS AND
OFFICERS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall require components of the
Department, when procuring ballistic resistant body armor for
individuals whose body shapes are most closely associated with female
agents and officers, to procure ballistic resistant body armor that--
(1) is specifically designed to fully protect body shapes
most closely associated with female agents and officers;
(2) is made to conform to the individual wearer and provide
the best possible fit and coverage to allow for either a flat
or shaped front panel;
(3) is assessed and verified, upon delivery, to fit
properly and have sufficient coverage in accordance with
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International)
standards for fit;
(4) has enhanced and advanced fit and technology that stops
a bullet from skipping off the chest at an upward angle into
the throat region or the spinal cord area; and
(5) is certified by the National Institute of Justice
(referred to in this paragraph as ``NIJ''), pursuant to the NIJ
standard for ballistic resistant body armor, and listed on the
associated NIJ Compliant Products List as successfully passing
the ballistic resistant body armor standards in accordance with
the applicable ballistic protection level recommended by the
NIJ, including passing testing that uses, for each test
sample--
(A) ballistic testing on gender-specific clay or
gelatin molds to ensure better contact of nonplanar
panels with clay or gelatin molds;
(B) soft body armor front panels contained in soft
carriers on female-shaped clay or gelatin molds
designed to fill the space behind the panel;
(C) shots to be placed on shaping features;
(D) angled shots;
(E) an angled shot at the chest to address the
concern of a bullet skipping into the neckline; and
(F) any additional testing criteria recommended by
the NIJ after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Annual Reports.--
(1) Issuance of ballistic resistant body armor.--Not later
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and
annually thereafter for the following 2 years, the head of each
relevant component agency of the Department shall submit a
report to the Secretary regarding the ballistic resistant body
armor issued to female agents and officers of such component
agency, including, with respect to the reporting period--
(A) the number of female agents and officers to
whom ballistic resistant body armor was issued for
performance of their official duties;
(B) the number of ballistic resistant body armor
units issued to female agents and officers, the use of
which was discontinued due to noncompliance with the
requirements described in subsection (a);
(C) the number of ballistic resistant body armor
units issued to female agents and officers that are
compliant with the requirements described in subsection
(a); and
(D) the percentage of female agents and officers of
such component agency who, as of the last day of the
reporting period, have been issued ballistic resistant
body armor that complies with the requirements
described in subsection (a), disaggregated by duty
station.
(2) Aggregate report.--Not later than 30 days after
receiving all of the reports required to be submitted under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit a report that
aggregates all of the data contained in such reports to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act,
all agents and officers of any component of the Department whose duties
require body armor and who have a body shape most closely associated
with female agents and officers shall have been issued body armor that
meets the requirements described in section 3(a).
Calendar No. 492
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4305
[Report No. 118-214]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the effectiveness of body armor issued to female agents and
officers of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 9, 2024
Reported with an amendment