I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4006 
To require the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity 
to establish policy prohibiting the use of cellular phones and other dis-
tracting devices by students in DODEA schools, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2025 
Mr. VINDMAN (for himself and Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and 
in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Director of the Department of Defense Edu-
cation Activity to establish policy prohibiting the use 
of cellular phones and other distracting devices by stu-
dents in DODEA schools, 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 ‘‘Mission Utilize No 
Phones in Learning to Unleash Growth in Grades and 
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Educate 
Distraction-free 
Act’’ 
or 
the 
‘‘Mission 
UNPLUGGED Act’’. 
SEC. 2. POLICY PROHIBITING THE USE OF CERTAIN ELEC-
TRONIC DEVICES IN DODEA SCHOOLS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish and 
maintain a policy pursuant to which the use of covered 
electronic devices by students in schools operated by the 
Department of Defense Education Activity is prohibited 
during regular school hours. 
(b) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS
AND
EXCEP-
TIONS.— 
(1) 
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
policy 
required 
under subsection (a)— 
(A) shall provide administrators of indi-
vidual schools with a degree of flexibility to de-
termine the methods of enforcing the policy at 
their school, subject to such limits as the Direc-
tor determines appropriate; and 
(B) shall include procedures that enable 
parents and children to contact each other dur-
ing the school day in the event of an emer-
gency. 
(2) EXCEPTIONS.—The policy required under 
subsection (a) shall include exceptions pursuant to 
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which a student may use a covered electronic de-
vice— 
(A) in an emergency situation; 
(B) on school grounds outside of regular 
school hours, such as while awaiting transpor-
tation to or from school or while participating 
in extracurricular activities; 
(C) if the student has a medical or health 
condition requiring use of a covered electronic 
device as part of a treatment or monitoring 
plan as certified by a licensed healthcare pro-
vider; 
(D) if the student has a disability or spe-
cial needs and the use of a covered electronic 
device is documented as necessary— 
(i) as part of an individualized edu-
cation program; 
(ii) as an accommodation under sec-
tion 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(29 U.S.C. 794) or the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 
et seq.); or 
(iii) under a similar policy or program 
of the Department of Defense Education 
Activity; 
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(E) if the student is an English learner 
and requires the use of a covered electronic de-
vice to assist with learning or understanding 
the English language; and 
(F) in such other circumstances as the Di-
rector determines appropriate. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In developing the policy under 
subsection (a), the Director shall consult with— 
(1) the Chief Academic Officer and the District 
Superintendents of the Department of Defense Edu-
cation Activity; and 
(2) School Advisory Committees for schools op-
erated by the Activity. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.—The policy required under 
subsection (a) shall be established not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply 
with respect to school years beginning after the date on 
which the policy is established. 
SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT SCHOOLS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director is authorized to pro-
vide support to schools operated by the Department of De-
fense Education Activity to assist such schools in the im-
plementation of the policy required under section 2. Such 
support may include— 
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(1) the procurement of lockboxes or other 
means for storing covered electronic devices during 
the school day; and 
(2) such other forms of support as the Director 
determines appropriate. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$1,207,500 for fiscal year 2026. 
SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 
policy required under section 2 first takes effect, and on 
an annual basis thereafter for the following four years, 
the Director shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
a report on the status of the implementation of the policy. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—At a minimum, each report under 
subsection (a) shall include a description of— 
(1) how the policy has been implemented in the 
year covered by the report; 
(2) the cost of implementation; and 
(3) any effects of the policy with respect to stu-
dent performance and mental health, teacher and 
student retention, and other relevant outcomes. 
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
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(1) The term ‘‘covered electronic devices’’ 
means— 
(A) cellular phones, including smartphones; 
and 
(B) any other personal electronic devices 
the Director determines— 
(i) are likely to distract students dur-
ing the school day; and 
(ii) are appropriate for inclusion in 
the prohibition under section 2. 
(2) The ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of the 
Department of Defense Education Activity. 
(3) The term ‘‘English learner’’ has the mean-
ing given that term in section 8101 of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 7801). 
(4) The term ‘‘individualized education pro-
gram’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1401). 
Æ 
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