[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 113 (Tuesday, July 9, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2101. Mr. ROMNEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 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:

       In section 595(a), in the matter proposed to be inserted in 
     section 503(c)(1)(A)(i) of chapter 31 of title 10, United 
     States Code, as clause (i)(II), strike ``one in-person 
     recruitment event'' and insert ``four in-person recruitment 
     events''.
       At the end of subtitle I of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 597B. STUDY ON SERVICE ELIGIBILITY.

       (a) Study.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     complete a study on the eligibility of United States citizens 
     aged 17-24 for military service.
       (b) Elements.--The study required under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following elements:
       (1) An analysis of historical trends over at least 30 years 
     preceding the date of the study of the eligibility of United 
     States citizens aged 17-24 for military service.
       (2) An analysis of the reasons for ineligibility, including 
     an identification of the percentage of citizens who fail to 
     meet eligibility standards for each of the following reasons:
       (A) Physical fitness.
       (B) Drug abuse.
       (C) Mental health.
       (D) Other medical issues.
       (E) Aptitude.
       (F) Conduct.
       (3) An analysis of the potential impacts of increased rates 
     of social media usage on the reasons described in 
     subparagraphs (A) through (F) of paragraph (2).
       (4) An analysis of the number of individuals on a yearly 
     basis who seek a waiver for one or more reasons of 
     ineligibility, compared to the number of individuals who 
     receive a waiver and join the relevant military service.
       (5) An analysis of the average time it takes for each 
     military service to process a request for a waiver.
       (6) An analysis of the reasons that waivers are not 
     processed more quickly.
       (c) Recommendations.--The study required under subsection 
     (a) shall include recommendations--
       (1) suggesting measures that could be taken by Federal and 
     State leaders to decrease the percentages of United States 
     citizens failing to meet eligibility standards described in 
     subparagraphs (A) through (F) of subsection (b)(2); and
       (2) proposing measures that the Department of Defense, and 
     Congress, could take to improve the waiver process and reduce 
     wait times for decisions on waiver requests.
       (d) Federally Funded Research and Development Center.-- The 
     Secretary of Defense may contract with a federally funded 
     research and development center to support the completion of 
     the study required under subsection (a).
       (e) Public Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the 
     completion of the study required under subsection (a), the 
     Secretary of Defense shall publish on a public website of the 
     Department of Defense a report containing the findings of the 
     study.
       (2) Annex.--The Secretary may submit to the congressional 
     defense committees a classified or unclassified annex to the 
     report required under paragraph (1).

     SEC. 597C. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE MARKETING REVIEW.

       (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     complete a review of the advertising and marketing models 
     used by each of the military services in support of 
     recruiting efforts.
       (b) Elements.--The review required under subsection (a) 
     shall--
       (1) assess the efficacy of marketing across each type of 
     platform used by each service, including print, television, 
     radio, internet, and social media;
       (2) assess the efficacy of the messaging used by each 
     service; and
       (3) include recommendations for each service on ways to 
     better reach individuals who could be interested in military 
     service.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the congressional defense committees a report containing 
     the findings of the review described required under 
     subsection (a).
                                 ______