I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8099 
To amend titles 10 and 14, United States Code, to include certain diversity- 
related requirements for the Armed Forces and the Coast Guard, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 25, 2020 
Mr. BROWN of Maryland (for himself, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. ESCOBAR, Ms. 
HAALAND, Mr. CISNEROS, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. TURNER, Mr. 
FITZPATRICK, and Mr. KIM) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Oversight and Reform, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend titles 10 and 14, United States Code, to include 
certain diversity-related requirements for the Armed 
Forces and the Coast Guard, 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 ‘‘Diversity in Defense 
Act of 2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICERS. 
(a) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 4 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
132a the following new section: 
‘‘§ 133. Chief Diversity Officer 
‘‘(a) CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER.—(1) There is a 
Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of Defense, ap-
pointed from civilian life by the President, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate. 
‘‘(2) The Chief Diversity Officer shall be appointed 
from among persons who have an extensive management 
or business background and experience with diversity and 
inclusion. A person may not be appointed as Chief Diver-
sity Officer within seven years after relief from active duty 
as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an 
armed force. 
‘‘(b) POWERS AND DUTIES.—The Chief Diversity Of-
ficer— 
‘‘(1) is responsible for policy, oversight, guid-
ance, and coordination for all matters of the Depart-
ment of Defense related to diversity and inclusion, 
including matters in connection with the armed 
forces and members of the armed forces and the ci-
vilian employees of the Department; 
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‘‘(2) exercises authority to direct the Secre-
taries of the military departments and the heads of 
all other elements of the Department with regard to 
matters for which the Chief Diversity Officer has re-
sponsibility under this section; 
‘‘(3) exercises authority, direction, and control 
over the Office of People Analytics, or any successor 
organization; 
‘‘(4) shall establish and maintain a Department 
of Defense strategic plan that publicly states a di-
versity definition, vision, and goals for the Depart-
ment; 
‘‘(5) shall define a set of strategic metrics that 
are directly linked to key organizational priorities 
and goals, actionable, and actively used to imple-
ment the strategic plan; 
‘‘(6) shall establish training in diversity dynam-
ics and training in practices for leading diverse 
groups effectively; 
‘‘(7) shall establish and maintain a strategic 
plan for diverse participation by institutions of high-
er education (including Historically Black colleges 
and universities and minority-serving institutions), 
Federally funded research and development centers, 
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and individuals in defense-related research, develop-
ment, testing, and evaluation activities; 
‘‘(8) shall establish and maintain a strategic 
plan for outreach to, and recruiting from, untapped 
locations and underrepresented demographic groups; 
‘‘(9) shall conduct regular, rigorous evaluations 
and assessments of diversity within the Department; 
and 
‘‘(10) shall perform such additional duties and 
exercise such powers as the Secretary of Defense 
may prescribe. 
‘‘(c) PRECEDENCE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DE-
FENSE.—(1) The Chief Diversity Officer shall report di-
rectly to the Secretary of Defense in the performance of 
duties under this section. 
‘‘(2) The Chief Diversity Officer takes precedence in 
the Department of Defense after the Chief Management 
Officer of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Historically Black colleges and 
universities’ means part B institutions (as that term 
is defined in section 322 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061). 
‘‘(2) The term ‘minority-serving institutions’ 
means institutions described in section 371(a) of the 
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appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate. 
‘‘(2) The Chief Diversity Officer shall be appointed 
from among persons who have an extensive management 
or business background and experience with diversity and 
inclusion, 
‘‘(b) POWERS AND DUTIES.—The Chief Diversity Of-
ficer— 
‘‘(1) is responsible for policy, oversight, guid-
ance, and coordination for all matters of the Depart-
ment of the Army related to diversity and inclusion, 
including matters in connection with the Army and 
members of the Army and the civilian employees of 
the Department; 
‘‘(2) exercises authority to direct the heads of 
all other elements of the Department with regard to 
matters for which the Chief Diversity Officer has re-
sponsibility under this section; 
‘‘(3) shall establish training in diversity dynam-
ics and training in practices for leading diverse 
groups effectively; 
‘‘(4) shall conduct regular, rigorous evaluations 
and assessments of diversity within the Department; 
and 
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‘‘(5) shall perform such additional duties and 
exercise such powers as the Secretary of the Army 
may prescribe.’’. 
(2) PRECEDENCE IN OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF 
THE ARMY.—Section 7014(b) of such title is amend-
ed— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(2) 
through (8) as paragraphs (3) through (9), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2) The Chief Diversity Officer of the Depart-
ment of the Army.’’. 
(3) DIVERSITY
AND
INCLUSION
AMONG
RE-
SPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF THE 
ARMY.—Section 7014(c)(1) of such title is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(H) Diversity and inclusion.’’. 
(4) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 703 of such title 
is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 7015 the following new item: 
‘‘7015a. Chief Diversity Officer.’’. 
(c) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 803 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 8015 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 8015a. Chief Diversity Officer 
‘‘(a) CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER.—(1) There is a 
Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of the Navy, 
appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate. 
‘‘(2) The Chief Diversity Officer shall be appointed 
from among persons who have an extensive management 
or business background and experience with diversity and 
inclusion. 
‘‘(b) POWERS AND DUTIES.—The Chief Diversity Of-
ficer— 
‘‘(1) is responsible for policy, oversight, guid-
ance, and coordination for all matters of the Depart-
ment of the Navy related to diversity and inclusion, 
including matters in connection with the Navy and 
the Marine Corps and members of the Navy and the 
Marine Corps and the civilian employees of the De-
partment; 
‘‘(2) exercises authority to direct the heads of 
all other elements of the Department with regard to 
matters for which the Chief Diversity Officer has re-
sponsibility under this section; 
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‘‘(3) shall establish training in diversity dynam-
ics and training in practices for leading diverse 
groups effectively; 
‘‘(4) shall conduct regular, rigorous evaluations 
and assessments of diversity within the Department; 
and 
‘‘(5) shall perform such additional duties and 
exercise such powers as the Secretary of the Navy 
may prescribe.’’. 
(2) PRECEDENCE IN OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF 
THE NAVY.—Section 8014(b) of such title is amend-
ed— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(2) 
through (8) as paragraphs (3) through (9), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2) The Chief Diversity Officer of the Depart-
ment of the Navy.’’. 
(3) DIVERSITY
AND
INCLUSION
AMONG
RE-
SPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF THE 
NAVY.—Section 8014(c)(1) of such title is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(H) Diversity and inclusion.’’. 
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(4) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 803 of such title 
is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 8015 the following new item: 
‘‘8015a. Chief Diversity Officer.’’. 
(d) DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 903 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 9015 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 9015a. Chief Diversity Officer 
‘‘(a) CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER.—(1) There is a 
Chief Diversity Officer of the Department of the Air 
Force, appointed from civilian life by the President, by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate. 
‘‘(2) The Chief Diversity Officer shall be appointed 
from among persons who have an extensive management 
or business background and experience with diversity and 
inclusion. 
‘‘(b) POWERS AND DUTIES.—The Chief Diversity Of-
ficer— 
‘‘(1) is responsible for policy, oversight, guid-
ance, and coordination for all matters of the Depart-
ment of the Air Force related to diversity and inclu-
sion, including matters in connection with the Air 
Force and the Space Force and members of the Air 
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Force and the Space Force and the civilian employ-
ees of the Department; 
‘‘(2) exercises authority to direct the heads of 
all other elements of the Department with regard to 
matters for which the Chief Diversity Officer has re-
sponsibility under this section; 
‘‘(3) shall establish training in diversity dynam-
ics and training in practices for leading diverse 
groups effectively; 
‘‘(4) shall conduct regular, rigorous evaluations 
and assessments of diversity within the Department; 
and 
‘‘(5) shall perform such additional duties and 
exercise such powers as the Secretary of the Air 
Force may prescribe.’’. 
(2) PRECEDENCE IN OFFICE OF SECRETARY OF 
THE AIR FORCE.—Section 9014(b) of such title is 
amended— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(2) 
through (7) as paragraphs (3) through (8), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following new paragraph (2): 
‘‘(2) The Chief Diversity Officer of the Depart-
ment of the Air Force.’’. 
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