I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7157 

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 11, 2020 

Mr. BROWN of Maryland (for himself, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, and Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was 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 the 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 required by subsection 

23 (a)(1) 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 re11 quired by 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 required by sub19 section (a)(1) between a satellite or extension Senior 

20 Reserve Officers’ Training Corps unit and the mili21 tary installation concerned shall include such activi22 ties designed to reduce barriers to participation in 

23 the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at the 

24 covered institution concerned as the Secretary con25 siders appropriate, including measures to mitigate 


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1 travel time and expenses in connection with receipt 

2 of Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instruc3 tion. 

4 (d) PILOT PROGRAM ON FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR

5 SROTC AND CSPI MEMBERS FOR FLIGHT TRAINING.— 

6 (1) ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION BY SROTC

7 AND CSPI MEMBERS.—A member of a Senior Re8 serve Officers’ Training Corps unit, or a member of 

9 a Coast Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning 

10 Initiative program, at a covered institution may par11 ticipate in the pilot program required by subsection 

12 (a)(2) if the member meets such academic require13 ments at the covered institution, and such other re14 quirements, as the Secretary of Defense shall estab15 lish for purposes of the pilot program. 

16 (2) PREFERENCE IN SELECTION OF PARTICI17 PANTS.—In selecting members under this subsection 

18 for participation in the pilot program required by 

19 subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall give a pref20 erence to members who will pursue flight training 

21 under the pilot program at a covered institution. 

22 (3) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR FLIGHT TRAIN23 ING.— 

24 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may 

25 provide any member of a Senior Reserve OffiVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 Jul 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7157.IH H7157

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1 cers’ Training Corps unit or a College Student 

2 Pre-Commissioning Initiative program who par3 ticipates in the pilot program required by sub4 section (a)(2) financial assistance to defray, 

5 whether in whole or in part, the charges and 

6 fees imposed on the member for flight training. 

7 (B) FLIGHT TRAINING.—Financial assist8 ance may be used under subparagraph (A) for 

9 a course of flight training only if the course 

10 meets Federal Aviation Administration stand11 ards and is approved by the Federal Aviation 

12 Administration and the applicable State approv13 ing agency. 

14 (C) USE.—Financial assistance received by 

15 a member under subparagraph (A) may be used 

16 only to defray the charges and fees imposed on 

17 the member as described in that subparagraph. 

18 (D) CESSATION OF ELIGIBILITY.—Finan19 cial assistance may not be provided to a mem20 ber under subparagraph (A) as follows: 

21 (i) If the member ceases to meet the 

22 academic and other requirements estab23 lished pursuant to paragraph (1). 

24 (ii) If the member ceases to be a 

25 member of the Senior Reserve Officers’ 


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1 Training Corps or the College Student 

2 Pre-Commissioning Initiative, as applica3 ble. 

4 (e) EVALUATION METRICS.—The Secretary of De5 fense shall establish metrics to evaluate the effectiveness 

6 of the pilot programs under subsection (a). 

7 (f) REPORTS.— 

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

9 after the commencement of the pilot programs under 

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

11 to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 

12 and the House of Representatives a report on the 

13 pilot programs. The report shall include the fol14 lowing: 

15 (A) A description of each pilot program, 

16 including in the case of the pilot program under 

17 subsection (a)(2) the requirements established 

18 pursuant to subsection (d)(1). 

19 (B) The evaluation metrics established 

20 under subsection (e). 

21 (C) Such other matters relating to the 

22 pilot programs as the Secretary considers ap23 propriate. 

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

25 after the end of each fiscal year in which the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 Jul 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7157.IH H7157

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1 retary carries out the pilot programs, the Secretary 

2 shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services 

3 of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 

4 report on the pilot programs during such fiscal year. 

5 Each report shall include, for the fiscal year covered 

6 by such report, the following: 

7 (A) In the case of the pilot program under 

8 subsection (a)(1), a description of the partner9 ships between satellite or extension Senior Re10 serve Officers’ Training Corps units and mili11 tary installations under the pilot program. 

12 (B) In the case of the pilot program under 

13 subsection (a)(2), the following: 

14 (i) The number of members of Senior 

15 Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units, 

16 and the number of members of Coast 

17 Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning 

18 Initiative programs, at covered institutions 

19 selected for purposes of the pilot program, 

20 including the number of such members 

21 participating in the pilot program. 

22 (ii) The number of recipients of finan23 cial assistance provided under the pilot 

24 program, including the number who— 


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1 (I) completed a ground school 

2 course of instruction in connection 

3 with obtaining a private pilot’s certifi4 cate; 

5 (II) completed flight training, 

6 and the type of training, certificate, or 

7 both received; 

8 (III) were selected for a pilot 

9 training slot in the Armed Forces; 

10 (IV) initiated pilot training in the 

11 Armed Forces; or 

12 (V) successfully completed pilot 

13 training in the Armed Forces. 

14 (iii) The amount of financial assist15 ance provided under the pilot program, 

16 broken out by covered institution, course of 

17 study, and such other measures as the Sec18 retary considers appropriate. 

19 (C) Data collected in accordance with the 

20 evaluation metrics established under subsection 

21 (e). 

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

23 prior to the completion of the pilot programs, the 

24 Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed 

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1 tives a report on the pilot programs. The report 

2 shall include the following: 

3 (A) A description of the pilot programs. 

4 (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of 

5 each pilot program. 

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

7 program, and an estimate of the cost of making 

8 each pilot program permanent. 

9 (D) An estimate of the cost of expanding 

10 each pilot program throughout all eligible Sen11 ior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units and 

12 College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative 

13 programs. 

14 (E) Such recommendations for legislative 

15 or administrative action as the Secretary con16 siders appropriate in light of the pilot pro17 grams, including recommendations for extend18 ing or making permanent the authority for each 

19 pilot program. 

20 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

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

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

23 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

24 2020 (Public Law 116–92). 


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

2 of instruction toward obtaining any of the following: 

3 (A) A private pilot’s certificate. 

4 (B) A commercial pilot certificate. 

5 (C) A certified flight instructor certificate. 

6 (D) A multi-crew pilot’s license. 

7 (E) A flight instrument rating. 

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

9 privilege the Secretary considers appropriate for 

10 purposes of this section. 

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

12 installation of the Department of Defense for the 

13 regular components of the Armed Forces. 

Æ 


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