I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2146 
To expand and enhance programs and activities of the Department of Defense 
for prevention of and response to domestic abuse and child abuse and 
neglect among military families, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 23, 2021 
Mr. JOYCE of Ohio (for himself and Ms. KUSTER) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To expand and enhance programs and activities of the De-
partment of Defense for prevention of and response to 
domestic abuse and child abuse and neglect among mili-
tary families, 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. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Military Family Vio-
lence Prevention Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REPORTS ON STAFFING LEVELS FOR THE FAMILY 
ADVOCACY PROGRAMS. 
Not later than six months after the deployment of 
the Military Community and Family Policy (MC&FP) 
Family Advocacy Program Staffing Tool, and every year 
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Con-
gress a report setting forth the following: 
(1) Current staffing levels for the Family Advo-
cacy Programs (FAPs) of the Armed Forces at each 
installation so staffed. 
(2) Recommendations for ideal staffing levels 
for the Family Advocacy Programs, as identified by 
the staffing tool, set forth, at the election of the Sec-
retary, by Armed Force or by installation. 
SEC. 3. SHARING AMONG THE ARMED FORCES OF DATA ON 
INCIDENTS REPORTED TO THE FAMILY AD-
VOCACY PROGRAMS. 
Commencing not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall ensure that appropriate statistical data on incidents 
reported to the Family Advocacy Programs (FAPs) of the 
Armed Forces is shared among and across the Armed 
Forces. 
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SEC. 4. ENHANCEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR AWARENESS OF 
MILITARY FAMILIES REGARDING FAMILY AD-
VOCACY PROGRAMS AND OTHER SIMILAR 
SERVICES. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM ON INFORMATION ON FAPS FOR 
FAMILIES ENROLLING IN DEERS.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall carry out a pilot program to assess the feasi-
bility and advisability of various mechanisms to inform 
families about the Family Advocacy Programs (FAPs) and 
resiliency training of the Armed Forces during their en-
rollment in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting 
System (DEERS). The matters assessed by the pilot pro-
gram shall include the following: 
(1) An option for training of family members 
on the Family Advocacy Programs. 
(2) The provision to families of information on 
the resources available through the Family Advocacy 
Programs. 
(3) The availability through the Family Advo-
cacy Programs of both restricting and unrestricted 
reporting on incidents of domestic abuse. 
(4) The provision to families of information on 
the Military OneSource program of the Department 
of Defense. 
(5) The provision to families of information on 
resources relating to domestic abuse and child abuse 
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and neglect that are available through local commu-
nity service organizations. 
(6) The availability of the Military and Family 
Life Counseling Program. 
(b) OUTREACH ON FAP AND SIMILAR SERVICES FOR 
MILITARY FAMILIES.—Each Secretary of a military de-
partment shall improve the information available to mili-
tary families under the jurisdiction of such Secretary that 
are the victim of domestic abuse or child abuse and neglect 
in order to provide such families with comprehensive infor-
mation on the services available to such families in connec-
tion with such violence and abuse and neglect. The infor-
mation so provided shall include a complete guide to the 
following: 
(1) The Family Advocacy Program of the 
Armed Force or military department concerned. 
(2) Military law enforcement services, including 
the process following a report of an incidence of do-
mestic abuse or child abuse or neglect. 
(3) Other applicable victim services. 
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SEC. 5. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON 
WOMEN IN THE SERVICES REPORT ON INI-
TIAL ENTRY POINTS FOR SUPPORT FOR MILI-
TARY FAMILIES IN CONNECTION WITH DO-
MESTIC ABUSE. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a report setting 
forth the results of a study, conducted by the Defense De-
partment Advisory Committee on Women in the Services 
(DACOWITS) for purposes of the report, on initial entry 
points (including anonymous entry points) for use by 
members of military families in seeking support for domes-
tic abuse or child abuse and neglect, including online chat 
rooms and other support, text-based support, and applica-
tions on smartphones. 
SEC. 6. IMPROVEMENT OF COLLABORATION IN DOMESTIC 
ABUSE PREVENTION SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, Department of Defense 
Instruction 6400.01, relating to the Family Advocacy Pro-
gram (FAP) of the Department of Defense, shall be modi-
fied to enhance collaboration among the programs and 
components specified in subsection (b) for the purpose of 
leveraging the expertise and resources of such programs 
and components to order to improve the availability and 
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scope of domestic abuse prevention services for military 
families. 
(b) PROGRAMS AND COMPONENTS.—The programs 
and components specified in this subsection are the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The Family Advocacy Program. 
(2) The Sexual Assault Prevention and Re-
sponse Officer (SAPRO) of the Department of De-
fense. 
(3) the Defense Suicide Prevention Office 
(DSPO). 
(4) The Defense Equal Opportunity Manage-
ment Institute (DEOMI). 
(5) 
The 
TRICARE 
Management 
Activity 
(TMA). 
(6) The substance abuse prevention programs 
and components of the Armed Forces. 
(7) Such other programs and components of the 
Department of Defense as the Secretary of Defense 
considers appropriate. 
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SEC. 7. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE EX-
CEPTIONAL ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN BENE-
FITS TO DEPENDENTS OF MEMBERS OR 
FORMER MEMBERS SEPARATED FOR DE-
PENDENT ABUSE. 
Section 1059(m)(4) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended by inserting ‘‘below the assistant Secretary 
level. Any exercise of such delegated authority shall be re-
ported to the Secretary concerned on a quarterly basis’’ 
after ‘‘may not be delegated’’. 
SEC. 8. INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE REPORT ON BEST PRACTICES IN PRE-
VENTION 
AND 
RESPONSE 
TO 
DOMESTIC 
ABUSE AND CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT 
AMONG MILITARY FAMILIES. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector 
General of the Department of Defense shall submit to the 
Secretary of Defense, and to the congressional defense 
committees, a report on best practices among military in-
stallations in prevention and response to domestic abuse 
and child abuse and neglect among military families. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) An identification and assessment of best 
practices among military installations in prevention 
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and response to domestic abuse and child abuse and 
neglect among military families in connection with 
the following: 
(A) Installation leadership. 
(B) Communication between the Family 
Advocacy Program and the installation com-
mand team. 
(C) Elimination of or reduction in barriers 
to effective incident response. 
(2) Recommendations for mechanisms, at the 
installation, Armed Force, and military department 
level, to identify and assess lessons learned through 
programs, projects, and activities for prevention and 
response to domestic abuse and child abuse and ne-
glect among military families. 
(3) An identification and assessment of re-
sources in communities surrounding military instal-
lations that could assist in prevention and response 
to domestic abuse and child abuse and neglect 
among military families. 
(4) 
An 
assessment 
of 
the 
benefits 
of 
bidirectional relationships involving the community 
resources identified pursuant to paragraph (3). 
(5) Recommendations for memoranda of under-
standing, or other formal relationships, between in-
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stallations and surrounding communities on the 
shared use of resources identified pursuant to para-
graph (3), including recommendations on mecha-
nisms for expediting entry into such memoranda of 
understanding. 
(6) Such other matters regarding best practices 
among military installations in prevention and re-
sponse to domestic abuse and child abuse and ne-
glect among military families as the Inspector Gen-
eral considers appropriate. 
(c) GUIDANCE AUTHORIZED IN LIGHT OF REPORT.— 
Each Secretary of a military department may issue guid-
ance for commanders of installations under the jurisdic-
tion of such Secretary on best practices in prevention and 
response to domestic abuse and child abuse and neglect 
among military families at such installations in light of 
the matters included in the report of the Inspector General 
under subsection (a). 
SEC. 9. CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES DEFINED. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘congressional defense commit-
tees’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code. 
Æ 
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