I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6470 
To provide for outreach to build awareness among former members of the 
Armed Forces of the process established pursuant to section 527 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 for the 
review of discharge characterizations, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 21, 2023 
Mr. POCAN (for himself and Mr. TAKANO) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for outreach to build awareness among former 
members of the Armed Forces of the process established 
pursuant to section 527 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 for the review of dis-
charge characterizations, 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 ‘‘Restore Honor to Serv-
ice Members Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. TIGER TEAM FOR OUTREACH TO FORMER MEM-
BERS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF TIGER TEAM.— 
(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 individ-
uals assigned to the Tiger Team under paragraph 
(1) shall be a senior-level officer or employee of the 
Department who shall serve as the lead official of 
the 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 sec-
tion. 
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(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 such 
personnel are assigned. The report shall specify the 
name of the individual assigned as Tiger Team 
Leader. 
(b) 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. 
(B) The Archivist of the United States. 
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(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 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 for 
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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. 
(4) IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN.— 
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(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 former section 654 or a similar policy 
prior to the enactment of former section 654. 
(B) The number of individuals described in 
subparagraph (A) who availed themselves of a 
review of discharge characterization (whether 
through discharge review or correction of mili-
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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, resulted in a change of char-
acterization to honorable discharge. 
(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. 
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(c) 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 of 
Defense shall submit to Congress a report on the re-
views under paragraph (1). Such reports shall in-
clude any comments or recommendations for contin-
ued actions. 
(d) FORMER SECTION 654 DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘former section 654’’ means section 654 
of title 10, United States Code, as in effect before such 
section was repealed pursuant to Public Law 111–321 (10 
U.S.C. 654 note). 
SEC. 3. RELIEF FOR IMPACTED FORMER MEMBERS. 
(a) 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 
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