Realizing Efforts for Military Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 9000 To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand and codify matters covered by diversity training in the Department of Defense. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DECEMBER 17, 2020 Mr. CROW (for himself and Mrs. TRAHAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand and codify matters covered by diversity training in the Department of Defense. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Realizing Efforts for 4 Military Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Act’’ or the 5 ‘‘REMEDI Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:59 Jan 02, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9000.IH H9000 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 9000 IH SEC. 2. EXPANSION AND CODIFICATION OF MATTERS COV- 1 ERED BY DIVERSITY TRAINING IN THE DE- 2 PARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 101 of title 10, United 4 States Code, is amended by inserting before section 2002 5 the following new section: 6 ‘‘§ 2001. Human relations, diversity, equity, and inclu- 7 sion training 8 ‘‘(a) HUMAN RELATIONS, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND 9 INCLUSION TRAINING.—(1) The Secretary shall ensure 10 that the Secretary of a military department conducts on- 11 going training programs regarding human relations, diver- 12 sity, equity, and inclusion for all covered individuals under 13 the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a military department. 14 Such training shall be tailored to specific leadership levels 15 and local area requirements. 16 ‘‘(2) Matters to be covered by such training include 17 the following: 18 ‘‘(A) Race relations. 19 ‘‘(B) Racism. 20 ‘‘(C) Equal opportunity. 21 ‘‘(D) Gender identity. 22 ‘‘(E) Discrimination based on gender and on 23 gender identity. 24 ‘‘(F) Discrimination based on sexual orientation 25 and on sexual identity. 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:59 Jan 02, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9000.IH H9000 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 9000 IH ‘‘(G) Conscious and unconscious bias. 1 ‘‘(H) Hate group activity. 2 ‘‘(3) Such training shall be included in the following: 3 ‘‘(A) Initial entry and accession programs. 4 ‘‘(B) Annual refresher training. 5 ‘‘(C) Professional military education. 6 ‘‘(D) Peer education. 7 ‘‘(E) Specialized leadership training. 8 ‘‘(4) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that unit 9 commanders are aware of their responsibility to ensure 10 that activity based upon discriminatory motives does not 11 occur in units under their command. 12 ‘‘(b) INFORMATION PROVIDED TO PROSPECTIVE RE- 13 CRUITS.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that a 14 covered individual preparing to enter an officer accession 15 program or to execute an original enlistment agreement— 16 ‘‘(1) is provided information concerning the 17 meaning of the oath of office or oath of enlistment 18 for service in the armed forces with regards to the 19 equal protection and civil liberties guarantees of the 20 Constitution; and 21 ‘‘(2) is informed that if supporting such guar- 22 antees is not possible personally for that covered in- 23 dividual, then that covered individual should decline 24 to join the Armed Forces. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:59 Jan 02, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9000.IH H9000 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 9000 IH ‘‘(c) COVERED INDIVIDUAL DEFINED.—In this sec- 1 tion, the term ‘covered individual’ includes— 2 ‘‘(1) a member of the armed forces; 3 ‘‘(2) a civilian employee of the Department; and 4 ‘‘(3) a contract employee of the Department.’’. 5 (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 6 (1) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of 7 sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended 8 by inserting before the item relating to section 2002 9 the following new item: 10 ‘‘2001. Human relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion training.’’. (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 571 11 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 12 Year 1997 (Public Law 104–201; 10 U.S.C. 113 13 note) is repealed. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:59 Jan 02, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H9000.IH H9000 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS