[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 308. Mr. TILLIS (for himself and Mr. Budd) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2024 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 appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

     SEC. __. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-
                   GOVERNMENTAL RECOGNITION OF MILITARY ENLISTEES 
                   TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR MILITARY 
                   RECRUITMENT.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) publicly honoring and recognizing the young men and 
     women who upon graduation from high-school enlist to serve in 
     the Armed Forces is a meaningful way to indicate national and 
     local support for those enlistees prior to initial accession 
     training, express gratitude to their families, and enhance 
     the partnerships between military recruiters and high school 
     administrators and guidance counselors;
       (2) the intrinsic value of these community ceremonies 
     should be formally recognized by the Office of the Secretary 
     of Defense and the various military service recruiting 
     commands; and
       (3) to the extent practicable, an appropriate level of 
     joint military service support should be provided at these 
     events, to include general officer and senior enlisted 
     adviser participation, ceremonial unit involvement, musical 
     support, and local recruiter presence.
       (b) Briefing.--Not later than March 23, 2024, the Secretary 
     of Defense shall brief the congressional defense committees 
     on the extent of Department of Defense and military service 
     coordination and support rendered for the recognition events 
     described in subsection (a), which are executed at no cost to 
     the Federal Government under the independent, national 
     direction of the ``Our Community Salutes'' organization, a 
     registered 501(c)(3) organization.
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