I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5200 
To direct the Department of Defense to designate an executive agent respon-
sible for continuing education in strategic foreign languages, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 
Mr. BACON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To direct the Department of Defense to designate an execu-
tive agent responsible for continuing education in stra-
tegic foreign languages, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. DEFENSE LANGUAGE CONTINUING EDUCATION 
PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary 
of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall coordinate 
with the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency to 
designate an executive agent for commercially available 
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advanced foreign language training to meet operational 
readiness requirements of the Department of Defense. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The executive agent designated in 
subsection (a) shall be responsible for the following: 
(1) Developing policies, procedures, and cur-
ricula to allow for continuing language training 
when linguists transition to operational environ-
ments from education or training environments, 
such as the Defense Language Institute, the Defense 
Language and National Security Education Office, 
or service-based training. 
(2) Identifying the resourcing requirements nec-
essary for each Armed Force to have access to the 
following foreign language training elements: 
(A) A foreign language and current culture 
training and maintenance virtual immersion 
program covering strategic languages (as des-
ignated by the Federal Government), with a 
range of multimedia materials including— 
(i) current and authentic copyrighted 
multimedia content (video, audio, print, 
etc.), in multiple genres, that have been 
cleared for legal use; 
(ii) foreign-originated newscasts and 
interviews with foreign speakers; and 
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(iii) any other content determined by 
the executive agent to be necessary for per-
sonnel to acquire proper vocabulary, phra-
seology, and enhanced understanding of 
the nuances associated with foreign cul-
tures. 
(B) Anytime accessibility, both online and 
via mobile device. 
(C) Training programs with success proven 
by previous partnerships with academic institu-
tions in the United States or other departments 
and agencies of the Federal Government. 
(c) REIMBURSEMENT AUTHORITY.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
executive agent, in coordination with the chief of each cov-
ered Armed Force, shall establish a procedure through 
which the Armed Force shall reimburse any organization 
of the Department of Defense that provides instruction 
under this section to members of that Armed Force for 
the costs of such instruction. 
(d) COVERED ARMED FORCE DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘covered Armed Force’’ means the Army, 
Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. 
Æ 
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