[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3594-S3595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4544. Mr. BOOKER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
       At the end of subtitle C of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 538. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE WEARING OF ARTICLES OF FAITH 
                   ALONG WITH THE UNIFORM FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
                   FORCES.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, 
     in order to increase the efficiency of the process by which 
     the Armed Forces address religious accommodation requests, 
     the Department of Defense should--
       (1) expeditiously and clearly define and publish a list of 
     religious apparel considered ``neat and conservative'' for 
     purposes of section 774 of title 10, United States Code, 
     which list should include uniform standards for articles of 
     faith such as those worn by observant Sikhs, orthodox Jews, 
     and Muslims;
       (2) modify the process for addressing religious 
     accommodation requests in order to provide that decisions on 
     such requests of current members of the Armed Forces are 
     issued not later than 30 calendar days after the filing of 
     the requests;
       (3) for individuals accessing into the Armed Forces, 
     provide that decisions on religious accommodation requests 
     are made not later than the earlier of--
       (A) 30 calendar days after of the filing of the requests; 
     or
       (B) the date on which such individuals access into the 
     Armed Forces;
       (4) provide that--
       (A) any approval of a religious accommodation request of a 
     member applies to the member throughout the member's service 
     in the Armed Forces; and
       (B) a new religious accommodation request be required of a 
     member only if there is a significant change in the member's 
     duties that raises issues of health and welfare;
       (5) provide that members not be required to violate their 
     religious beliefs while a religious accommodation request is 
     pending in a manner such that--
       (A) while a request is pending, the member concerned be 
     permitted to wear articles of faith consistent with the 
     member's beliefs; and
       (B) individuals accessing into the Armed Forces be 
     permitted to observe religious requirements, including 
     requirements for religious apparel, grooming, and appearance, 
     during the pendency of their requests;
       (6) provide that religious accommodation requests be 
     approved at the lowest level possible of command and, as 
     appropriate, forwarded to the Secretary of the military 
     department; and
       (7) not require any unnecessary testing in connection with 
     resolving religious accommodation requests.
       (b) Annual Reports on Religious Accommodation Processes of 
     the Armed Forces.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the 
     next seven years, the

[[Page S3595]]

     Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
     Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
     report setting forth the following:
       (1) A description of the current process of each Armed 
     Force for addressing religious accommodation requests.
       (2) The number of religious accommodation requests 
     submitted to each Armed Force during the one-year period 
     ending on the date of such report.
       (3) The average processing time of each Armed Force for 
     religious accommodation requests during such period.
       (4) A comparison of the number and nature of religious 
     accommodation requests approved during such period with the 
     number and description of grooming standard exemptions 
     approved during such period, set forth by Armed Force.
       (5) A description of the impact, if any, on members of the 
     need for renewed religious accommodation requests in 
     connection with promotion, new duties, or transition through 
     commands during such period, set forth by Armed Force.
       (c) Religious Accommodation Request Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``religious accommodation request'' means 
     the request of a member of the Armed Forces to wear articles 
     of faith consistent with the member's beliefs along with the 
     uniform.
                                 ______