I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1796 

To amend title 37, United States Code, to authorize, in connection with 

the permanent change of station of a member of the Armed Forces 

requiring relocation to another State, the reimbursement of the member 

for qualified relicensing costs incurred by the spouse of the member 

to secure a license or certification required by the State to which the 

member and spouse relocate, to encourage States to expedite license 

portability for military spouses, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 29, 2017 

Ms. STEFANIK (for herself, Mr. JONES, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. HECK, 

Mr. WEBSTER of Florida, Mr. DELANEY, Mr. WALZ, Mr. FASO, and Mr. 

RUSH) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To amend title 37, United States Code, to authorize, in 

connection with the permanent change of station of a 

member of the Armed Forces requiring relocation to 

another State, the reimbursement of the member for 

qualified relicensing costs incurred by the spouse of the 

member to secure a license or certification required by 

the State to which the member and spouse relocate, 

to encourage States to expedite license portability for 

military spouses, and for other purposes. 


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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 ‘‘Lift the Relocation 

5 Burden from Military Spouses Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REIMBURSEMENT FOR STATE LICENSURE AND CER7 TIFICATION COSTS OF A SPOUSE OF THE 

8 ARMED FORCES ARISING FROM A PERMA9 NENT CHANGE OF STATION OF THE MEMBER 

10 TO ANOTHER STATE. 

11 (a) REIMBURSEMENT AUTHORIZED.—Section 476 of 

12 title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

13 end the following new subsection: 

14 ‘‘(p)(1) The Secretary concerned may reimburse a 

15 member of the armed forces who is reassigned for a per16 manent change of station or permanent change of assign17 ment from a duty station in one State to a duty station 

18 in another State to which the movement of the member’s 

19 dependents is authorized at the expense of the United 

20 States under this section for qualified relicensing costs of 

21 the spouse of the member. 

22 ‘‘(2) Reimbursement to a member under this sub23 section may not exceed $500 for each change of station 

24 or change of assignment. 


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1 ‘‘(3) In this subsection, the term ‘qualified relicensing 

2 costs’ means costs, including exam and registration fees, 

3 that— 

4 ‘‘(A) are imposed by the State of the new duty 

5 station to secure a license or certification to engage 

6 in the same profession that the spouse engaged in 

7 while in the State of the original duty station; and 

8 ‘‘(B) are paid or incurred by the member or 

9 spouse to secure the license or certification from the 

10 State of the new duty station after the date on 

11 which the orders directing the permanent change of 

12 station or permanent change of assignment are 

13 issued.’’. 

14 (b) EXPEDITED LICENSE PORTABILITY FOR MILI15 TARY SPOUSES.—The Secretary of Defense, and the Sec16 retary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast 

17 Guard, shall work with States to improve the portability 

18 between States of a license, certification, or other grant 

19 of permission held by the spouse of a member of the 

20 Armed Forces to engage in a particular activity in a State. 

21 The strategies to be recommended by the Secretaries to 

22 improve license portability for military spouses shall in23 clude the following: 

24 (1) Recognition by a State of a license issued 

25 by another State and in good standing in that State. 


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1 (2) Issuance of a temporary license pending 

2 completion of State-specific requirements. 

3 (3) Provision of an expedited review process for 

4 military spouses. 

5 (c) REPORT ON EXTENT OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND

6 UNDEREMPLOYMENT OF MILITARY SPOUSES.—Not later 

7 than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

8 the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees 

9 on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep10 resentatives a report evaluating the extent to which 

11 spouses of members of the Armed Forces are unemployed 

12 and underemployed, in comparison to the general popu13 lation. The report shall include an estimate of the number 

14 and percentage of unemployed and underemployed mili15 tary spouses, the primary reasons for their unemployment 

16 or underemployment, and recommendations to increase 

17 employment opportunities for military spouses. 

Æ 


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