II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3953 

To require pilot programs in connection with Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 

minority institutions, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 11, 2020 

Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, and Mr. 

CARPER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To require pilot programs in connection with Senior Reserve 

Officers’ Training Corps units at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and minority institutions, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fostering Leadership 

5 and Inclusion by Growing HBCU Training Act of 2020’’ 

6 or the ‘‘FLIGHT Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 Congress makes the following findings: 


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1 (1) The Fiscal Year 2018 Population Represen2 tation in the Military Services report found that 

3 while minorities comprise 38 percent of the national 

4 population, they comprise only 23 percent of the ac5 tive component commissioned officer corps. 

6 (2) The Fiscal Year 2018 Population Represen7 tation in the Military Services report further found 

8 that African Americans only comprised 8 percent of 

9 the active component commissioned officer corps, 

10 while more than 12 percent of the general popu11 lation is African American. 

12 (3) The Fiscal Year 2018 Population Represen13 tation in the Military Services report further found 

14 that African American and Hispanic cadets were re15 cipients of a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps 

16 (ROTC) scholarship at a rate of half of their rep17 resentation in the general population. 

18 (4) A 2018 RAND study titled ‘‘Understanding 

19 Demographic Differences in Undergraduate Pilot 

20 Training Attrition’’ found that ‘‘[candidates for pilot 

21 training from Reserve Officers’ Training Corps pro22 gram] with more hours of flying experience were also 

23 less likely to be eliminated from Initial Flight Train24 ing and Primary Pilot Training’’. 


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1 (5) In 2020, Air Education and Training Com2 mand, in partnership with the University of Texas3 San Antonio, conducted a study that reinforced, in4 cluding within the Pilot Candidate Selection Method, 

5 the number of flight hours a candidate accumulates 

6 before attending undergraduate pilot training. 

7 (6) The United States Air Force has acknowl8 edged that ‘‘flight hours . . . can be difficult to ob9 tain for potential candidates depending on their 

10 socio-economic background’’. 

11 SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAMS IN CONNECTION WITH SROTC 

12 UNITS AND CSPI PROGRAMS AT HISTORI13 CALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 

14 AND MINORITY INSTITUTIONS. 

15 (a) PILOT PROGRAMS REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 

16 Defense shall carry out two pilot programs as follows: 

17 (1) A pilot program, with elements as provided 

18 for in subsection (c), at covered institutions in order 

19 to assess the feasibility and advisability of mecha20 nisms to reduce barriers to participation in the Sen21 ior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at such institu22 tions by creating partnerships between satellite or 

23 extension Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps 

24 units at such institutions and military installations. 


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1 (2) In consultation with the Secretary of Home2 land Security, a pilot program, with elements as pro3 vided for in subsection (d), in order to assess the 

4 feasibility and advisability of the provision of finan5 cial assistance to members of the Senior Reserve Of6 ficers’ Training Corps, and members of the Coast 

7 Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning Initia8 tive, at covered institutions for participation in flight 

9 training. 

10 (b) DURATION.—The duration of each pilot program 

11 under subsection (a) may not exceed five years. 

12 (c) PILOT PROGRAM ON PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN

13 SATELLITE OR EXTENSION SROTC UNITS AND MILITARY

14 INSTALLATIONS.— 

15 (1) PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS.—The Sec16 retary of Defense shall carry out the pilot program 

17 required by subsection (a)(1) at not fewer than five 

18 covered institutions selected by the Secretary for 

19 purposes of the pilot program. 

20 (2) REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTION.—Each 

21 covered institution selected by the Secretary for pur22 poses of the pilot program under subsection (a)(1) 

23 shall— 

24 (A) currently maintain a satellite or exten25 sion Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps 


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1 unit under chapter 103 of title 10, United 

2 States Code, that is located more than 20 miles 

3 from the host unit of such unit; or 

4 (B) establish and maintain a satellite or 

5 extension Senior Reserve Officers’ Training 

6 Corps unit that meets the requirements in sub7 paragraph (A). 

8 (3) PREFERENCE IN SELECTION OF INSTITU9 TIONS.—In selecting covered institutions under this 

10 subsection for participation in the pilot program 

11 under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall give 

12 preference to covered institutions that are located 

13 within 20 miles of a military installation of the same 

14 Armed Force as the host unit of the Senior Reserve 

15 Officers’ Training Corps of the covered institution 

16 concerned. 

17 (4) PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES.—The activities 

18 conducted under the pilot program under subsection 

19 (a)(1) between a satellite or extension Senior Re20 serve Officers’ Training Corps unit and the military 

21 installation concerned shall include such activities 

22 designed to reduce barriers to participation in the 

23 Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at the cov24 ered institution concerned as the Secretary considers 

25 appropriate, including measures to mitigate travel 


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1 time and expenses in connection with receipt of Sen2 ior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instruction. 

3 (d) PILOT PROGRAM ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR

4 SROTC AND CSPI MEMBERS FOR FLIGHT TRAINING.— 

5 (1) ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION BY SROTC

6 AND CSPI MEMBERS.—A member of a Senior Re7 serve Officers’ Training Corps unit, or a member of 

8 a Coast Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning 

9 Initiative program, at a covered institution may par10 ticipate in the pilot program under subsection (a)(2) 

11 if the member meets such academic requirements at 

12 the covered institution, and such other requirements, 

13 as the Secretary shall establish for purposes of the 

14 pilot program. 

15 (2) PREFERENCE IN SELECTION OF PARTICI16 PANTS.—In selecting members under this subsection 

17 for participation in the pilot program under sub18 section (a)(2), the Secretary shall give a preference 

19 to members who will pursue flight training under the 

20 pilot program at a covered institution. 

21 (3) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR FLIGHT TRAIN22 ING.— 

23 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may 

24 provide any member of a Senior Reserve Offi25 cers’ Training Corps unit or a College Student 


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1 Pre-Commissioning Initiative program who par2 ticipates in the pilot program under subsection 

3 (a)(2) financial assistance to defray, whether in 

4 whole or in part, the charges and fees imposed 

5 on the member for flight training. 

6 (B) FLIGHT TRAINING.—Financial assist7 ance may be used under subparagraph (A) for 

8 a course of flight training only if the course 

9 meets Federal Aviation Administration stand10 ards and is approved by the Federal Aviation 

11 Administration and the applicable State approv12 ing agency. 

13 (C) USE.—Financial assistance received by 

14 a member under subparagraph (A) may be used 

15 only to defray the charges and fees imposed on 

16 the member as described in that subparagraph. 

17 (D) CESSATION OF ELIGIBILITY.—Finan18 cial assistance may not be provided to a mem19 ber under subparagraph (A) as follows: 

20 (i) If the member ceases to meet the 

21 academic and other requirements estab22 lished pursuant to paragraph (1). 

23 (ii) If the member ceases to be a 

24 member of the Senior Reserve Officers’ 

25 Training Corps or the College Student 


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1 Pre-Commissioning Initiative, as applica2 ble. 

3 (e) EVALUATION METRICS.—The Secretary of De4 fense shall establish metrics to evaluate the effectiveness 

5 of the pilot programs under subsection (a). 

6 (f) REPORTS.— 

7 (1) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 

8 after the commencement of the pilot programs under 

9 subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit 

10 to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 

11 and the House of Representatives a report on the 

12 pilot programs. The report shall include the fol13 lowing: 

14 (A) A description of each pilot program, 

15 including in the case of the pilot program under 

16 subsection (a)(2) the requirements established 

17 pursuant to subsection (d)(1). 

18 (B) The evaluation metrics established 

19 under subsection (e). 

20 (C) Such other matters relating to the 

21 pilot programs as the Secretary considers ap22 propriate. 

23 (2) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 

24 after the end of each fiscal year in which the Sec25 retary carries out the pilot programs, the Secretary 


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1 shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 

2 of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 

3 report on the pilot programs during such fiscal year. 

4 Each report shall include, for the fiscal year covered 

5 by such report, the following: 

6 (A) In the case of the pilot program re7 quired by subsection (a)(1), a description of the 

8 partnerships between satellite or extension Sen9 ior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units and 

10 military installations under the pilot program. 

11 (B) In the case of the pilot program re12 quired by subsection (a)(2), the following: 

13 (i) The number of members of Senior 

14 Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units, 

15 and the number of members of Coast 

16 Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning 

17 Initiative programs, at covered institutions 

18 selected for purposes of the pilot program, 

19 including the number of such members 

20 participating in the pilot program. 

21 (ii) The number of recipients of finan22 cial assistance provided under the pilot 

23 program, including the number who— 

24 (I) completed a ground school 

25 course of instruction in connection 


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1 with obtaining a private pilot’s certifi2 cate; 

3 (II) completed flight training, 

4 and the type of training, certificate, or 

5 both received; 

6 (III) were selected for a pilot 

7 training slot in the Armed Forces; 

8 (IV) initiated pilot training in the 

9 Armed Forces; or 

10 (V) successfully completed pilot 

11 training in the Armed Forces. 

12 (iii) The amount of financial assist13 ance provided under the pilot program, 

14 broken out by covered institution, course of 

15 study, and such other measures as the Sec16 retary considers appropriate. 

17 (C) Data collected in accordance with the 

18 evaluation metrics established under subsection 

19 (e). 

20 (3) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 

21 prior to the completion of the pilot programs, the 

22 Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed 

23 Services of the Senate and the House of Representa24 tives a report on the pilot programs. The report 

25 shall include the following: 


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1 (A) A description of the pilot programs. 

2 (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of 

3 each pilot program. 

4 (C) A description of the cost of each pilot 

5 program, and an estimate of the cost of making 

6 each pilot program permanent. 

7 (D) An estimate of the cost of expanding 

8 each pilot program throughout all eligible Sen9 ior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units and 

10 College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative 

11 programs. 

12 (E) Such recommendations for legislative 

13 or administrative action as the Secretary con14 siders appropriate in light of the pilot pro15 grams, including recommendations for extend16 ing or making permanent the authority for each 

17 pilot program. 

18 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

19 (1) The term ‘‘covered institution’’ has the 

20 meaning given that term in section 262(g)(2) of the 

21 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

22 2020 (Public Law 116–92). 

23 (2) The term ‘‘flight training’’ means a course 

24 of instruction toward obtaining any of the following: 

25 (A) A private pilot’s certificate. 


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1 (B) A commercial pilot certificate. 

2 (C) A certified flight instructor certificate. 

3 (D) A multi-crew pilot’s license. 

4 (E) A flight instrument rating. 

5 (F) Any other certificate, rating, or pilot 

6 privilege the Secretary considers appropriate for 

7 purposes of this section. 

8 (3) The term ‘‘military installation’’ means an 

9 installation of the Department of Defense for the 

10 regular components of the Armed Forces. 

11 (h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

12 authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec13 essary to carry out this section. 

Æ 


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