II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2376 

To ensure the parental guardianship rights of cadets and midshipmen consistent with individual and academic responsibilities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 15, 2021 

Mr. CRUZ (for himself and Mrs. GILLIBRAND) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To ensure the parental guardianship rights of cadets and 

midshipmen consistent with individual and academic responsibilities, 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 ‘‘Candidates Afforded 

5 Dignity, Equality and Training (CADET) Act of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON LIMITING OF CERTAIN PARENTAL 

2 GUARDIANSHIP RIGHTS OF CADETS AND MID3 SHIPMEN. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, the 

5 Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of 

6 Transportation, in consultation with the Secretaries of the 

7 military departments and the Superintendent of each mili8 tary service academy, as appropriate, shall prescribe in 

9 regulations policies ensuring that the parental guardian10 ship rights of cadets and midshipmen are protected con11 sistent with individual and academic responsibilities. 

12 (b) PROTECTION OF PARENTAL GUARDIANSHIP

13 RIGHTS.—The regulations prescribed under subsection (a) 

14 shall provide that— 

15 (1) a cadet or midshipman of a military service 

16 academy may not be required to give up his or her 

17 parental guardianship rights in the event of a preg18 nancy occurring after the beginning of the cadet’s or 

19 midshipman’s first day of academic courses; 

20 (2) except as provided under subsection (c), 

21 military service academy may not dis-enroll a cadet 

22 or midshipman who becomes pregnant or fathers a 

23 child while enrolled at the academy; and 

24 (3) a cadet or midshipman who becomes preg25 nant while enrolled at a military service academy 


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1 shall be allowed to take leave for up to one year and 

2 return to the academy to resume classes afterward. 

3 (c) RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS ENROLLED AT

4 MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES.—The regulations pre5 scribed under subsection (a) shall require cadets and mid6 shipmen with dependents to establish a family care plan 

7 with appropriate academy leadership. The family care plan 

8 shall include the following provisions: 

9 (1) The care plan must include a full-time pro10 vider responsible for the dependent who is not en11 rolled at the military service academy, as another 

12 parent or guardian of the dependent or a family 

13 member of the cadet or midshipman. The full-time 

14 care provider must have either full power-of-attorney 

15 authority or guardianship rights in order to prevent 

16 situations where the cadet or midshipman is pulled 

17 away from his or her duties and responsibilities at 

18 the military service academy. The cadet or mid19 shipman may not rely on base facilities or child-care 

20 services, and must be able to function as any other 

21 cadet, including residing in academy dormitories. 

22 (2) Except as provided under subsection (d), 

23 the cadet or midshipman may not receive additional 

24 benefits or concessions from the military service 


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1 academy on account of having a dependent, such as 

2 money or time off. 

3 (3) A cadet or midshipman with a dependent 

4 may not be excused on account of such dependent 

5 from standard classes, training, traveling, fitness re6 quirements, or any other responsibilities inherent to 

7 attending a military service academy. 

8 (4) If both parents of a dependent are cadets 

9 or midshipmen, they must agree on the family care 

10 plan or face expulsion (with no incurred obligations). 

11 (d) OPTIONS FOR PREGNANT CADETS AND MID12 SHIPMEN.—The regulations prescribed under subsection 

13 (a) shall provide that females becoming pregnant while en14 rolled at a military service academy shall have, at a min15 imum, the following options: 

16 (1) At the conclusion of the current semester or 

17 when otherwise deemed medically appropriate, tak18 ing leave from the military service academy for up 

19 to one year followed by a return to full cadet or mid20 shipman status. 

21 (2) Full release from the military service acad22 emy and any related obligations. 

23 (3) Enlistment in active-duty service, with all of 

24 the attendant benefits. 


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1 (e) TREATMENT OF MALES FATHERING A CHILD

2 WHILE ENROLLED AT MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMIES.— 

3 The regulations prescribed under subsection (a) shall pro4 vide that males fathering a child while enrolled at a mili5 tary service academy— 

6 (1) shall not be required to give up parental 

7 rights; and 

8 (2) shall not acquire any benefits or leave con9 siderations as a result of fathering a child, except 

10 that— 

11 (A) academy leadership shall establish poli12 cies to allow cadets and midshipmen at least 

13 one week of leave to attend the birth, which 

14 must be used in conjunction with the birth; and 

15 (B) in the event the male father becomes 

16 the sole financial provider for a dependent, the 

17 academy shall provide the father the same op18 tions available to a cadet or midshipman who 

19 becomes a mother while enrolled, including re20 maining enrolled in accordance with a family 

21 care plan established pursuant to subsection (c) 

22 or selecting one of the options outlined in para23 graphs (2) through (4) of subsection (d). 

24 (f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec25 tion shall be construed as requiring or providing for the 


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1 changing of admission requirements at any of the military 

2 service academies. 

3 SEC. 3. MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMY DEFINED. 

4 In this Act, the term ‘‘military service academy’’ 

5 means the following: 

6 (1) The United States Military Academy, West 

7 Point, New York. 

8 (2) The United States Naval Academy, Annap9 olis, Maryland. 

10 (3) The United States Air Force Academy, Col11 orado Springs, Colorado. 

12 (4) The United States Coast Guard Academy, 

13 New London, Connecticut. 

14 (5) The United States Merchant Marine Acad15 emy, Kings Point, New York. 

Æ 


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