This bill amends parts of title 10, United States Code, and a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 to require gender-neutral standards in certain military assignments. It says members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force may not be excluded from an occupational specialty, career field, or assignment because of gender. The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to send an annual report to the congressional Armed Services committees. That report must describe any changes to occupational standards, explain how a change predicts performance of regular duties, and list the number of members (by specialty and gender) who were involuntarily reclassified or separated for reasons other than discipline, and why. The bill repeals 10 U.S.C. section 8225 and makes the changes effective September 30, 2026. The first required annual report is due September 30, 2027.
The bill also updates the career-designator process in the FY1994 NDAA section 543. It replaces the phrase "physical requirements" with "occupational performance standards" and requires that standards be set "based on a scientifically rigorous process." It expands the kinds of abilities considered to include technical, tactical, cognitive, and physical abilities. Proposed changes must include at least an 18-month trial period and be based on input from Department of Defense health care providers and researchers. When submitting a proposed change, the Secretary must give the congressional defense committees the proposed change, estimated costs, the justification, relevant research and data relied upon, and the rationale. The review period for Congress is extended from 60 days to 180 days.
Finally, the bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit, within seven days of enactment, the full unredacted Institute for Defense Analyses review of operational effectiveness of Army and Marine Corps ground combat units. The Comptroller General must submit a review of that IDA report and any Defense Department actions responding to it within 180 days.
If you are a member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force, this bill would bar exclusion from jobs or assignments based on gender. It would change how the military sets job standards by focusing on job performance and requiring scientific review, a trial period, and health expert input. Congress would get more detailed information on changes to standards and on who is reclassified or separated.
No publicly available information. The text of the bill does not include cost estimates or an estimate of fiscal effects.
As reflected in the bill text, supporters seek to make assignment standards gender neutral, to base standards on a scientifically rigorous process, to consider a wider set of job-related abilities, to require trial periods and health-research input, and to increase transparency to congressional defense committees through detailed reports and reviews.
No publicly available information.