[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 119 (Tuesday, July 23, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3029. Mr. BROWN 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:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     Sec. ___. Flexibilities for Federal employees who are spouses 
       of a member of the Armed Forces or the Foreign Service

       (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 63 of title 5, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``Sec. 6329e. Permanent change of station leave

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Agency.--The term `agency'--
       ``(A) means each agency, office, or other establishment in 
     the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Federal 
     Government; and
       ``(B) includes--
       ``(i) each nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the 
     United States, including each instrumentality described in 
     section 2105(c) of title 5, United States Code;
       ``(ii) the United States Postal Service; and
       ``(iii) the Postal Regulatory Commission.
       ``(2) Armed forces.--The term `Armed Forces' has the 
     meaning given the term `armed forces' in section 2101.
       ``(3) Covered individual.--The term `covered individual' 
     means an individual who--
       ``(A) is the spouse of--
       ``(i) a member of the Armed Forces; or
       ``(ii) a member of the Foreign Service;
       ``(B) is an employee; and
       ``(C) relocates because the spouse of the individual, as 
     described in subparagraph (A), is subject to a permanent 
     change of station.
       ``(4) Employee.--The term `employee' includes--
       ``(A) an individual employed on a temporary or term basis; 
     and
       ``(B) an employee of the United States Postal Service or 
     the Postal Regulatory Commission.
       ``(5) Member of the foreign service.--The term `member of 
     the Foreign Service'--
       ``(A) means an individual described in section 103 of the 
     Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3903); and
       ``(B) includes an individual serving in an agency other 
     than the Department of State that is utilizing the Foreign 
     Service personnel system in accordance with section 202 of 
     the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3922).
       ``(6) Paid leave.--The term `paid leave' means, with 
     respect to an employee, leave without loss of or reduction 
     in--
       ``(A) pay;
       ``(B) leave to which the employee is otherwise entitled 
     under law; or
       ``(C) credit for time or service.
       ``(7) Permanent change of station.--The term `permanent 
     change of station' means, with respect to a member of the 
     Armed Forces or a member of the Foreign Service--
       ``(A) a permanent change of duty station; or
       ``(B) a change in homeport of a vessel, ship-based squadron 
     or staff, or mobile unit.
       ``(b) Permanent Change of Station Leave.--
       ``(1) Entitlement to leave.--
       ``(A) In general.--A covered individual shall be entitled 
     to 40 hours of paid leave because of the permanent change of 
     station of the spouse of the covered individual.
       ``(B) Discretion to grant additional leave.--In accordance 
     with agency policy, the head of the agency employing a 
     covered individual may grant leave to the covered individual 
     that is--
       ``(i) in addition to the leave to which the covered 
     individual is entitled under subparagraph (A); and
       ``(ii) for the purpose described in subparagraph (A).
       ``(2) Schedule.--A covered individual may take leave under 
     paragraph (1) intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule.
       ``(3) Notice.--A covered individual taking leave under 
     paragraph (1) shall provide the agency employing the covered 
     individual with such notice regarding the taking of that 
     leave as is reasonable and practicable.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of 
     sections for subchapter II of chapter 63 of title 5, United 
     States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``6329e. Permanent change of station leave.''.
                                 ______