I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2186 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the security of the 

United States and the readiness of the Armed Forces by increasing 

diversity within the leadership ranks of the Armed Forces. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 15, 2011 

Mr. CUMMINGS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined 

by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 

within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the 

security of the United States and the readiness of the 

Armed Forces by increasing diversity within the leadership ranks of the Armed Forces. 

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 ‘‘Military Leaders En5 hancement Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON DIVERSITY IN MILITARY 

2 LEADERSHIP. 

3 (a) DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY.—It is the sense of 

4 Congress that the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 

5 of Homeland Security (in the case of the Coast Guard) 

6 should develop a uniform definition of diversity that— 

7 (1) encompasses all the different characteristics 

8 and attributes of members of the Armed Forces; and 

9 (2) is consistent with the core values of the 

10 Armed Forces, integral to overall readiness and mis11 sion accomplishment, and reflective of the diverse 

12 population of the United States. 

13 (b) DIVERSITY AS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE.— 

14 It is the sense of Congress that— 

15 (1) diversity is a national security issue and a 

16 force multiplier for the Armed Forces and the 

17 United States; 

18 (2) diversity within the Armed Forces is vitally 

19 important, not only with respect to promoting inno20 vation and creativity, but also with respect to devel21 oping a more inclusive workforce for a fair and just 

22 America; 

23 (3) diversity is a necessity to mission readiness 

24 and excellence; 

25 (4) attracting and employing a diverse and tal26 ented team of officers and senior enlisted personnel 


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1 ultimately enables the Armed Forces to better per2 form their national security missions and, in the 

3 case of the Coast Guard, its essential regulatory 

4 missions; and 

5 (5) in preparing the Nation for future national 

6 security needs, it is important to identify regional 

7 and cultural expertise, relevant reserve component 

8 civilian expertise, and language expertise upon mili9 tary accession and throughout the careers of mem10 bers of the Armed Forces in order to better manage 

11 personnel with mission critical skill sets and to lever12 age that expertise in service to the United States. 

13 SEC. 3. DIVERSITY IN MILITARY LEADERSHIP AND RE14 LATED REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 

15 (a) PLAN TO ACHIEVE MILITARY LEADERSHIP RE16 FLECTING DIVERSITY OF UNITED STATES POPU17 LATION.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 37 of title 10, 

19 United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

20 end the following new section: 

21 ‘‘§ 656. Diversity in military leadership: plan 

22 ‘‘(a) PLAN.—The Secretary of Defense (and the Sec23 retary of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast 

24 Guard) shall prepare and implement a plan to achieve, be25 tween 2031 and 2041, a dynamic, sustainable level of 


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1 members of the armed forces (including reserve compo2 nents thereof) that, among both commissioned officers and 

3 senior enlisted personnel of each armed force, will reflect 

4 the diverse population of the United States eligible to 

5 serve in the armed forces, including gender specific, racial, 

6 or ethnic populations and diversified language and cultural 

7 skills so as to preserve and enhance the all-volunteer force. 

8 ‘‘(b) METRICS TO MEASURE PROGRESS IN DEVEL9 OPING AND IMPLEMENTING PLAN.—The Secretary of De10 fense (and the Secretary of Homeland Security in the case 

11 of the Coast Guard) shall develop a standard set of 

12 metrics and collection procedures that are uniform across 

13 the armed forces, including reserve components thereof, 

14 in furtherance of developing and implementing the plan 

15 established under subsection (a). The metrics required by 

16 this subsection shall be designed— 

17 ‘‘(1) to accurately capture the inclusion and ca18 pability aspects of the armed forces broader diversity 

19 plans; and 

20 ‘‘(2) to be verifiable and systematically linked 

21 to strategic plans that will drive improvements. 

22 ‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—Not less than biannually, the 

23 Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Se24 curity shall meet with the Secretaries of the military de25 partments, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Commandant of 


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1 the Coast Guard, and senior enlisted members of the 

2 armed forces to discuss the progress being made toward 

3 developing and implementing the plan established under 

4 subsection (a). 

5 ‘‘(d) COOPERATION WITH STATES.—The Secretary 

6 of Defense shall coordinate with the National Guard Bu7 reau and States in tracking the progress of the National 

8 Guard toward developing and implementing the plan es9 tablished under subsection (a).’’. 

10 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec11 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 

12 by adding at the end the following new item: 

‘‘656. Diversity in military leadership: plan.’’. 

13 (b) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 

14 (1) INCLUSION IN DOD MANPOWER REQUIRE15 MENTS REPORT.—Section 115a(c) of such title is 

16 amended by adding at the end the following new 

17 paragraph: 

18 ‘‘(4) The progress made in implementing the 

19 plan required by section 656 of this title to achieve 

20 a dynamic, sustainable armed forces that has a 

21 membership that will, among both commissioned of22 ficers and senior enlisted personnel of each armed 

23 force, including reserve components thereof, reflect 

24 the diverse population of the United States eligible 


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1 to serve in the armed forces while still being able 

2 to— 

3 ‘‘(A) prevail in any war, prevent and deter 

4 any conflict, defeat any adversary, and succeed 

5 in a wide range of contingencies; and 

6 ‘‘(B) preserve and enhance the all-volun7 teer force. 

8 ‘‘(5) The available pool of qualified candidates 

9 for the general officer grades of general and lieuten10 ant general and the flag officer grades of admiral 

11 and vice admiral, including an assessment of the 

12 qualified racial or ethnic minority and female can13 didates.’’. 

14 (2) COAST GUARD REPORT.— 

15 (A) ANNUAL REPORT REQUIRED.—The 

16 Secretary of Homeland Security shall prepare 

17 an annual report addressing diversity among 

18 commissioned officers of the Coast Guard and 

19 Coast Guard Reserve and among enlisted per20 sonnel of the Coast Guard and Coast Guard 

21 Reserve in the pay grades E–7 through E–9. 

22 The report shall include an assessment of the 

23 available pool of qualified candidates for the 

24 flag officer grades of admiral and vice admiral, 


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1 including an assessment of the qualified racial 

2 or ethnic minority and female candidates. 

3 (B) SUBMISSION.—The report shall be 

4 submitted each year not later than 45 days 

5 after the date on which the President submits 

6 to Congress the budget for the next fiscal year 

7 under section 1105 of title 31, United States 

8 Code. Each report shall be submitted to the 

9 President, the Committee on Armed Services, 

10 the Committee on Transportation and Infra11 structure, and the Committee on Homeland Se12 curity of the House of Representatives, and the 

13 Committee on Armed Services and the Com14 mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor15 tation of the Senate. 

Æ 


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