I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5300 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a tiger team to perform 
outreach regarding the process by which a member of the Armed Forces, 
discharged on the basis of sexual orientation, may apply for review 
of the characterization of such discharge. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 
Mr. POCAN (for himself, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BEYER, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. 
BLUNT ROCHESTER, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Penn-
sylvania, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. CARSON, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. 
COHEN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. COSTA, Mr. COURTNEY, Ms. DAVIDS of 
Kansas, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. ESPAILLAT, 
Mr. EVANS, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Mr. KAHELE, Ms. 
KELLY of Illinois, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. KILMER, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. 
LAWSON
of Florida, Ms. LEE
of California, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. 
LOWENTHAL, Mr. LYNCH, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. 
SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. MENG, Mr. 
JONES, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. 
NEWMAN, Ms. NORTON, Ms. OMAR, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. 
PAPPAS, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. PETERS, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. QUIGLEY, 
Mr. RASKIN, Mr. RUSH, Mr. RYAN, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. 
SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. SIRES, Ms. SLOTKIN, Mr. SOTO, Mr. 
TAKANO, Ms. TITUS, Mr. TONKO, Mr. VEASEY, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, 
and Mr. WELCH) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a tiger team 
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to perform outreach regarding the process by which a 
member of the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis 
of sexual orientation, may apply for review of the charac-
terization of such discharge. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. RESTORING HONOR TO SERVICE MEMBERS. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the mission of the Department of Defense 
is to provide the military forces needed to deter war 
and to protect the security of the United States; 
(2) expanding outreach to veterans impacted by 
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell or a similar policy prior to the 
enactment of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is important to 
closing a period of history harmful to the creed of 
integrity, respect, and honor of the military; 
(3) the Department is responsible for providing 
for the review of a veteran’s military record before 
the appropriate discharge review board or, when 
more than 15 years has passed, board of correction 
for military or naval records; and 
(4) the Secretary of Defense should, wherever 
possible, coordinate and conduct outreach to im-
pacted veterans through the veterans community 
and networks, including through the Department of 
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Veterans Affairs and veterans service organizations, 
to ensure that veterans understand the review proc-
esses that are available to them for upgrading mili-
tary records. 
(b) TIGER TEAM FOR OUTREACH TO FORMER MEM-
BERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall establish a team (commonly known 
as a ‘‘tiger team’’ and referred to in this section as 
the ‘‘Tiger Team’’) responsible for conducting out-
reach to build awareness among former members of 
the Armed Forces of the process established pursu-
ant to section 527 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116– 
92; 10 U.S.C. 1552 note) for the review of discharge 
characterizations by appropriate discharge boards. 
The Tiger Team shall consist of appropriate per-
sonnel of the Department of Defense assigned to the 
Tiger Team by the Secretary for purposes of this 
section. 
(2) TIGER TEAM LEADER.—One of the persons 
assigned to the Tiger Team under paragraph (1) 
shall be a senior-level officer or employee of the De-
partment who shall serve as the lead official of the 
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Tiger Team (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Tiger 
Team Leader’’) and who shall be accountable for the 
activities of the Tiger Team under this section. 
(3) REPORT ON COMPOSITION.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report set-
ting forth the names of the personnel of the Depart-
ment assigned to the Tiger Team pursuant to this 
subsection, including the positions to which assigned. 
The report shall specify the name of the individual 
assigned as Tiger Team Leader. 
(c) DUTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Tiger Team shall con-
duct outreach to build awareness among veterans of 
the process established pursuant to section 527 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2020 for the review of discharge characteriza-
tions by appropriate discharge boards. 
(2) COLLABORATION.—In conducting activities 
under this subsection, the Tiger Team Leader shall 
identify appropriate external stakeholders with 
whom the Tiger Team shall work to carry out such 
activities. Such stakeholders shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
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(B) The Archivist of the United States. 
(C) Representatives of veterans service or-
ganizations. 
(D) Such other stakeholders as the Tiger 
Team Leader considers appropriate. 
(3) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 210 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to Congress the fol-
lowing: 
(A) A plan setting forth the following: 
(i) A description of the manner in 
which the Secretary, working through the 
Tiger Team and in collaboration with ex-
ternal stakeholders described in paragraph 
(2), shall identify individuals who meet the 
criteria in section 527(b) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2020 for review of discharge characteriza-
tion. 
(ii) A description of the manner in 
which the Secretary, working through the 
Tiger Team and in collaboration with the 
external stakeholders, shall improve out-
reach to individuals who meet the criteria 
in section 527(b) of the National Defense 
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Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 for 
review of discharge characterization, in-
cluding through— 
(I) obtaining contact information 
on such individuals; and 
(II) contacting such individuals 
on the process established pursuant to 
section 527 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2020 for the review of discharge char-
acterizations. 
(B) A description of the manner in which 
the work described in clauses (i) and (ii) of sub-
paragraph (A) will be carried out, including an 
allocation of the work among the Tiger Team 
and the external stakeholders. 
(C) A schedule for the implementation, 
carrying out, and completion of the plan re-
quired under subparagraph (A). 
(D) A description of the additional fund-
ing, personnel, or other resources of the De-
partment required to carry out the plan re-
quired under subparagraph (A), including any 
modification of applicable statutory or adminis-
trative authorities. 
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(4) IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall im-
plement and carry out the plan submitted under 
subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) in accord-
ance with the schedule submitted under sub-
paragraph (C) of that paragraph. 
(B) UPDATES.—Not less frequently than 
once every 90 days after the submittal of the 
report under paragraph (3), the Tiger Team 
shall submit to Congress an update on the car-
rying out of the plan submitted under subpara-
graph (A) of that paragraph. 
(5) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Tiger Team shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a final report on the activities of the 
Tiger Team under this subsection. The report shall 
set forth the following: 
(A) The number of individuals discharged 
under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell or a similar policy 
prior to the enactment of Don’t Ask, Don’t 
Tell. 
(B) The number of individuals described in 
subparagraph (A) who availed themselves of a 
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review of discharge characterization (whether 
through discharge review or correction of mili-
tary records) through a process established 
prior to the enactment of this Act. 
(C) The number of individuals contacted 
through outreach conducted pursuant to this 
section. 
(D) The number of individuals described in 
subparagraph (A) who availed themselves of a 
review of discharge characterization through the 
process established pursuant to section 527 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fis-
cal Year 2020. 
(E) The number of individuals described in 
subparagraph (D) whose review of discharge 
characterization resulted in a change of charac-
terization to honorable discharge. 
(F) The total number of individuals de-
scribed in subparagraph (A), including individ-
uals also covered by subparagraph (E), whose 
review of discharge characterization since Sep-
tember 20, 2011 (the date of repeal of Don’t 
Ask, Don’t Tell), resulted in a change of char-
acterization to honorable discharge. 
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(6) TERMINATION.—On the date that is 60 
days after the date on which the final report re-
quired by paragraph (5) is submitted, the Secretary 
shall terminate the Tiger Team. 
(d) ADDITIONAL REPORTS.— 
(1) REVIEW.—The Secretary of Defense shall 
conduct a review of the consistency and uniformity 
of the reviews conducted pursuant to section 527 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2020. 
(2) REPORTS.—Not later than 270 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and each year 
thereafter for a four-year period, the Secretary shall 
submit to Congress a report on the reviews under 
paragraph (1). Such reports shall include any com-
ments or recommendations for continued actions. 
(e) REVIEW OF DISCHARGE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall review and update existing guidance to ensure 
that the appropriate discharge board for the military 
departments concerned shall review a discharge 
characterization of the covered member as required 
under section 527 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 at the request of 
a covered member, or their representative, notwith-
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standing any requirements to provide documentation 
necessary to initiate a review of a discharge charac-
terization. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—The appropriate discharge 
board for the military departments concerned shall 
not be required to initiate a request for a review of 
a discharge as described in paragraph (1) if there is 
evidence available to the discharge board that is un-
related to the material request of the covered mem-
ber or their representative but that would have rea-
sonably substantiated the military department’s dis-
charge decision. 
(f) VETERANS BENEFITS.— 
(1) EFFECTIVE DATE OF CHANGE OF CHARAC-
TERIZATION FOR VETERANS BENEFITS.—For pur-
poses of the provision of benefits to which veterans 
are entitled under the laws administered by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to a covered member 
whose discharge characterization is changed pursu-
ant to section 527 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116– 
92; 10 U.S.C. 1552 note), the date of discharge of 
the member from the Armed Forces shall be deemed 
to be the effective date of the change of discharge 
characterization under that section. 
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(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed to authorize any ben-
efit to a covered member in connection with the 
change of discharge characterization of the member 
under section 527 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116– 
92; 10 U.S.C. 1552 note) for any period before the 
effective date of the change of discharge character-
ization. 
(g) HISTORICAL REVIEWS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of each mili-
tary department shall ensure that oral historians of 
the department, in coordination with the chief of the 
personnel division for the military department con-
cerned— 
(A) review the facts and circumstances 
surrounding the estimated 100,000 members of 
the Armed Forces discharged from the Armed 
Forces between World War II and September 
2011 because of the sexual orientation of the 
member, including any use of ambiguous or 
misleading separation codes and characteriza-
tions intended to disguise the discriminatory 
basis of such members’ discharge; and 
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(B) receive oral testimony of individuals 
who personally experienced discrimination and 
discharge because of the actual or perceived 
sexual orientation of the individual so that such 
testimony may serve as an official record of 
these discriminatory policies and their impact 
on American lives. 
(2) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—Each Sec-
retary of a military department shall ensure that the 
oral historians concerned complete the actions re-
quired by paragraph (1) by not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(3) USES OF INFORMATION.—Information ob-
tained through actions under paragraph (1) shall be 
available to members described in that paragraph for 
pursuit by such members of a remedy under section 
527 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2020 in accordance with regulations 
prescribed for such purpose by the Secretary of the 
military department concerned. 
(h) DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’’ means section 654 
of title 10, United States Code, as in effect before such 
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section was repealed pursuant to the Don’t Ask, Don’t 
Tell Repeal Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–321). 
Æ 
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