H.R. 8175

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8175 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8175

To amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender 
neutral standards for members of certain Armed Forces, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 2, 2026

Ms. Houlahan (for herself, Ms. Goodlander, Mr. Thompson of California, 
Mr. Tran, Mr. Crow, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Courtney, Ms. Elfreth, 
Ms. Norton, Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Pelosi, Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. 
Latimer, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Bell, Ms. 
Strickland, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Goldman 
of New York, Mr. Keating, Mr. Sorensen, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
Vasquez, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Whitesides, Ms. Escobar, Mr. 
Quigley, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Mr. Menefee, 
and Mr. Khanna) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender 
neutral standards for members of certain Armed Forces, and for other 
purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. GENDER NEUTRAL STANDARDS IN CERTAIN ARMED FORCES.

(a) Prohibition on Exclusion of a Member of Certain Armed Forces 
From an Assignment on the Basis of Gender.--
(1) In general.--Section 652 of title 10, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 652. Prohibition of exclusion from assignments on the basis of 
gender
``(a) Prohibition.--A member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air 
Force, or Space Force may not be excluded from an occupational 
specialty, career field, or assignment on the basis of gender.
``(b) Annual Report.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives 
an annual report that includes, with respect to the year preceding the 
date of the report, the following:
``(1) Any change to an occupational standard, including a 
description of how such change predicts performance of actual, 
regular, and recurring duties of a military occupational 
specialty.
``(2) The number of members, disaggregated by military 
occupational specialty and gender, who were involuntarily 
reclassified or separated for a reason other than discipline or 
pursuant to a sentence of a court-martial.
``(3) The reasons for reclassifications or separations 
described in paragraph (2).''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 8225 of title 10, United 
States Code, is repealed.
(3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection 
shall take effect on September 30, 2026. The first report under 
subsection (b) of section 652 of such title, as amended by this 
section, shall be due on September 30, 2027.
(b) Gender-Neutral Occupational Standard for a Military Career 
Designator: Modernization; Additional Information to Congress To Review 
a Proposed Change.--
(1) Modernization.--Section 543 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (Public Law 103-160; 10 
U.S.C. 113 note) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)--
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ``that is open to both male and 
female members of the Armed Forces''; and
(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking ``women 
in that occupational career field'' and 
inserting ``individuals in such occupational 
career field on the basis of gender'';
(B) in subsection (b)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``Specific 
Physical Requirements'' and inserting 
``occupational performance standards'';
(ii) in paragraph (1)--
(I) by striking ``physical'' both 
places it appears;
(II) by inserting ``, based on a 
scientifically rigorous process,'' 
after ``determines'';
(III) by inserting ``technical, 
tactical, cognitive, or physical 
abilities, including'' before 
``muscular strength''; and
(IV) by striking ``(in the case of 
a career designator that is open to 
both male and female members of the 
Armed Forces)''; and
(iii) in paragraph (2)--
(I) by inserting ``not shorter than 
18 months'' after ``a reasonable 
period''; and
(II) by inserting ``that are based 
on input from health care providers and 
researchers of the Department of 
Defense'' after ``prescribed by the 
Secretary''; and
(C) in subsection (c), by striking ``female members 
of the Armed Forces'' and inserting ``members of the 
Armed Forces, of any gender,''.
(2) Information to congress.--Such section is further 
amended, in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking ``are expected to'' and inserting 
``may'';
(B) by striking ``Congress'' and inserting ``the 
congressional defense committees'';
(C) by striking ``change and the justification and 
rationale'' and inserting ``proposed change, the 
estimated costs, the justification (including the 
relevant research and data that the Secretary reviewed 
and relied upon before making such proposal), and 
rationale''; and
(D) by striking ``60-day period'' and inserting 
``180-day period''.
(c) Institute for Defense Analyses Review of Operational 
Effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps Ground Combat Units.--
(1) Submission to congress.--Not later than seven days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to Congress the full, unredacted review of 
operational effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps ground 
combat units prepared by the Institute for Defense Analyses.
(2) Comptroller general review.--Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report reviewing--
(A) the review submitted to Congress under 
paragraph (1); and
(B) any actions taken by the Secretary of Defense 
in response to the review.
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