[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8175 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8175
To amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender
neutral standards for members of certain Armed Forces, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 2, 2026
Ms. Houlahan (for herself, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Thompson of California,
Mr. Tran, Mr. Crow, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Courtney, Ms. Elfreth,
Ms. Norton, Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Pelosi, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr.
Latimer, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Bell, Ms.
Strickland, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Goldman
of New York, Mr. Keating, Mr. Sorensen, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Mr.
Vasquez, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Whitesides, Ms. Escobar, Mr.
Quigley, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Mr. Menefee,
and Mr. Khanna) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender
neutral standards for members of certain Armed Forces, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. GENDER NEUTRAL STANDARDS IN CERTAIN ARMED FORCES.
(a) Prohibition on Exclusion of a Member of Certain Armed Forces
From an Assignment on the Basis of Gender.--
(1) In general.--Section 652 of title 10, United States
Code, is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 652. Prohibition of exclusion from assignments on the basis of
gender
``(a) Prohibition.--A member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air
Force, or Space Force may not be excluded from an occupational
specialty, career field, or assignment on the basis of gender.
``(b) Annual Report.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives
an annual report that includes, with respect to the year preceding the
date of the report, the following:
``(1) Any change to an occupational standard, including a
description of how such change predicts performance of actual,
regular, and recurring duties of a military occupational
specialty.
``(2) The number of members, disaggregated by military
occupational specialty and gender, who were involuntarily
reclassified or separated for a reason other than discipline or
pursuant to a sentence of a court-martial.
``(3) The reasons for reclassifications or separations
described in paragraph (2).''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 8225 of title 10, United
States Code, is repealed.
(3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection
shall take effect on September 30, 2026. The first report under
subsection (b) of section 652 of such title, as amended by this
section, shall be due on September 30, 2027.
(b) Gender-Neutral Occupational Standard for a Military Career
Designator: Modernization; Additional Information to Congress To Review
a Proposed Change.--
(1) Modernization.--Section 543 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (Public Law 103-160; 10
U.S.C. 113 note) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1),
by striking ``that is open to both male and
female members of the Armed Forces''; and
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ``women
in that occupational career field'' and
inserting ``individuals in such occupational
career field on the basis of gender'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``Specific
Physical Requirements'' and inserting
``occupational performance standards'';
(ii) in paragraph (1)--
(I) by striking ``physical'' both
places it appears;
(II) by inserting ``, based on a
scientifically rigorous process,''
after ``determines'';
(III) by inserting ``technical,
tactical, cognitive, or physical
abilities, including'' before
``muscular strength''; and
(IV) by striking ``(in the case of
a career designator that is open to
both male and female members of the
Armed Forces)''; and
(iii) in paragraph (2)--
(I) by inserting ``not shorter than
18 months'' after ``a reasonable
period''; and
(II) by inserting ``that are based
on input from health care providers and
researchers of the Department of
Defense'' after ``prescribed by the
Secretary''; and
(C) in subsection (c), by striking ``female members
of the Armed Forces'' and inserting ``members of the
Armed Forces, of any gender,''.
(2) Information to congress.--Such section is further
amended, in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking ``are expected to'' and inserting
``may'';
(B) by striking ``Congress'' and inserting ``the
congressional defense committees'';
(C) by striking ``change and the justification and
rationale'' and inserting ``proposed change, the
estimated costs, the justification (including the
relevant research and data that the Secretary reviewed
and relied upon before making such proposal), and
rationale''; and
(D) by striking ``60-day period'' and inserting
``180-day period''.
(c) Institute for Defense Analyses Review of Operational
Effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps Ground Combat Units.--
(1) Submission to congress.--Not later than seven days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Defense shall submit to Congress the full, unredacted review of
operational effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps ground
combat units prepared by the Institute for Defense Analyses.
(2) Comptroller general review.--Not later than 180 days
after the date of the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report reviewing--
(A) the review submitted to Congress under
paragraph (1); and
(B) any actions taken by the Secretary of Defense
in response to the review.
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