I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3296 
To improve family and medical leave for military families, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 8, 2025 
Mrs. MCCLAIN DELANEY (for herself, Mr. MOYLAN, Mr. BACON, Ms. 
BUDZINSKI, Mr. CARSON, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. 
FIELDS, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. 
HOYER, Mr. LANDSMAN, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, Mr. LICCARDO, Ms. 
MCBRIDE, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. OLSZEWSKI, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. RASKIN, 
Mr. THANEDAR, Ms. TLAIB, and Mr. CARBAJAL) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, 
and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, 
and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To improve family and medical leave for military 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 ‘‘Making It Likely for 
Families of the Military to Live with Leave Access Act’’ 
or the ‘‘MIL FMLA Act’’. 
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TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO FAM-
ILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT 
OF 1993 
SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 101 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 
1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘employee’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘employee or 
covered servicemember’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (12) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(12) SON OR DAUGHTER.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the term ‘son or daughter’ means a 
biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, 
a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in 
loco parentis, who is— 
‘‘(i) under 18 years of age; or 
‘‘(ii) 18 years of age or older and in-
capable of self-care because of a mental or 
physical disability. 
‘‘(B) 
SERVICEMEMBER
AND
VETERAN 
LEAVE.—For the purposes of leave under para-
graphs (1)(E) and (3) of section 102(a), the 
term ‘son or daughter’ means, regardless of 
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age, a biological, adopted, or foster child, a 
stepchild, a legal ward, a child of a person 
standing in loco parentis, or the child of a cov-
ered servicemember’s domestic partner.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (14), by amending subpara-
graph (B) to read as follows: 
‘‘(B) in the case of a member of a reserve 
component of the Armed Forces— 
‘‘(i) duty during the deployment of 
the member with the Armed Forces under 
a call or order to active duty under a pro-
vision of law referred to in section 
101(a)(13)(B) of title 10, United States 
Code; 
‘‘(ii) duty pursuant to title 32, United 
States Code; or 
‘‘(iii) covered State active duty.’’; 
(4) in paragraph (15)(B), by striking ‘‘and who 
was a member of the Armed Forces’’ and all that 
follows through the period at the end of the sub-
paragraph and inserting a period; 
(5) in paragraph (18)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ and inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
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(i) by striking ‘‘at any time during a 
period described in paragraph (15)(B)’’; 
and 
(ii) by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) in the case of either a member of the 
Armed Forces (including a member of the Na-
tional Guard or Reserves), or a veteran who 
was such a member, a serious health condition 
that was incurred by the member in line of duty 
on active duty in the Armed Forces (or existed 
before the beginning of the member’s active 
duty and was aggravated by service in line of 
duty on active duty in the Armed Forces).’’. 
(6) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(20) ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL WHOSE CLOSE 
ASSOCIATION IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A FAMILY RE-
LATIONSHIP.—The term ‘any other individual whose 
close association is the equivalent of a family rela-
tionship’, used with respect to a covered servicemem-
ber, means any person with whom the covered serv-
icemember has a significant personal bond that is or 
is like a family relationship, regardless of biological 
or legal relationship. 
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‘‘(21) DOMESTIC PARTNER.—The term ‘domes-
tic partner’, used with respect to an employee or 
covered servicemember, means an adult in a com-
mitted relationship with the employee or covered 
servicemember, including same-sex and opposite-sex 
relationships. 
‘‘(22) GRANDCHILD.—The term ‘grandchild’, 
used with respect to a covered servicemember, means 
the son or daughter of the covered servicemember. 
‘‘(23) 
GRANDPARENT.—The 
term 
‘grand-
parent’, used with respect to a covered servicemem-
ber, means a parent of a parent of the covered serv-
icemember. 
‘‘(24) NEPHEW; NIECE.—The terms ‘nephew’ 
and ‘niece’, used with respect to a covered service-
member, mean a son or daughter of the sibling of 
the covered servicemember. 
‘‘(25) PARENT-IN-LAW.— The term ‘parent-in- 
law’, used with respect to a covered servicemember, 
means a parent of the spouse or domestic partner of 
the covered servicemember. 
‘‘(26) SIBLING.—The term ‘sibling’, used with 
respect to a covered servicemember, means any per-
son who is a son or daughter of parent of the cov-
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ered servicemember (other than the covered service-
member). 
‘‘(27) SON-IN-LAW; DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.—The 
terms ‘son-in-law’ and ‘daughter-in-law’, used with 
respect to a covered servicemember, mean any per-
son who is a spouse or domestic partner of a son or 
daughter, as the case may be, of the covered service-
member. 
‘‘(28) UNCLE; AUNT.—The terms ‘uncle’ and 
‘aunt’, used with respect to a covered servicemem-
ber, mean the son or daughter, as the case may be, 
of the grandparent of the covered servicemember 
(other than the parent of the covered servicemem-
ber). 
‘‘(29) COVERED
STATE
ACTIVE
DUTY.—The 
term ‘covered State active duty’ means State active 
duty for a period of 14 days or more, State active 
duty in response to a national emergency declared 
by the President under the National Emergencies 
Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), or State active duty 
in response to a major disaster declared by the 
President under section 401 of the Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5170). 
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‘‘(30) STATE ACTIVE DUTY.—The term ‘State 
active duty’ has the same meaning given the term in 
section 4303(15) of title 38, United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 102. LEAVE REQUIREMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 102(a) of the Family and 
Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612(a)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(E), by inserting ‘‘or do-
mestic partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (3) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(3) SERVICEMEMBER
FAMILY
LEAVE.—Not-
withstanding paragraph (1) and subject to section 
103, an eligible employee who is the spouse or do-
mestic partner, son or daughter, son-in-law or 
daughter-in-law, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, 
sibling, uncle or aunt, nephew or niece, or next of 
kin of a covered servicemember, or any other indi-
vidual whose close association is the equivalent of a 
family relationship with a covered servicemember, 
shall be entitled to a total of 26 workweeks of leave 
during a 12-month period to care for the service-
member.’’; 
(3) by amending paragraph (4) to read as fol-
lows: 
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‘‘(4) COMBINED
LEAVE
TOTAL.—Subject to 
subsection (d)(3), an eligible employee shall be enti-
tled to not more than a combined total of 26 work-
weeks of leave under paragraphs (1), (3), and (6) 
during any 12-month period.’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) VETERAN LEAVE.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (1) and subject to section 103, an eligible em-
ployee who is a covered servicemember described in 
section 101(15)(B) shall be entitled to a total of 26 
workweeks of leave during a 12-month period be-
cause of a serious injury or illness that makes the 
employee unable to perform the functions of the po-
sition of such employee.’’. 
(b) LEAVE TAKEN INTERMITTENTLY OR ON A RE-
DUCED LEAVE SCHEDULE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 102(b)(1) of such 
Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(b)(1)) is amended by striking 
‘‘subsection (a)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (3) or 
(6) of subsection (a)’’. 
(2) 
ALTERNATIVE
POSITION.—Section 
102(b)(2) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(b)(2)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘subsection (a)(3)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘paragraph (3) or (6) of subsection (a)’’. 
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(c) RELATIONSHIP TO PAID LEAVE.—Section 102(d) 
of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(d)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘under sub-
section (a)(3))’’ and inserting ‘‘under paragraph (3) 
or (6) of subsection (a))’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (a)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (3) or (6) 
of subsection (a)’’. 
(d) NOTICE.—Section 102(e) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 
2612(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) NOTICE
FOR
VETERAN
LEAVE.—In any 
case in which the necessity for leave under sub-
section (a)(6) is foreseeable, the employee shall pro-
vide such notice to the employer as is reasonable and 
practicable.’’. 
(e) CERTIFICATION.—Section 103(a) of such Act (29 
U.S.C. 2613(a)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or (6)’’ after 
‘‘paragraph (3)’’. 
(f) MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH BENEFITS.—Section 
104(c) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2614(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(B)(i)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘or a serious injury or ill-
ness, as the case may be,’’ after ‘‘serious health 
condition’’; and 
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(B) by striking ‘‘section 102(a)(3)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘paragraph (3) or (6) of section 
102(a)’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘or’’; 
(ii) in clause (iii), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iv) a certification issued by the 
health care provider of the eligible em-
ployee, in the case of an employee unable 
to return to work because of a serious in-
jury 
or 
illness 
specified 
in 
section 
102(a)(6).’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C), by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(iii) LEAVE DUE TO A SERIOUS IN-
JURY
OR
ILLNESS
OF
EMPLOYEE.—The 
certification described in subparagraph 
(A)(iv) shall be sufficient if the certifi-
cation states that a serious injury or illness 
prevented the employee from being able to 
perform the functions of the position of the 
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employee on the date that the leave of the 
employee expired. 
‘‘(iv) LEAVE DUE TO A SERIOUS IN-
JURY OR ILLNESS OF A FAMILY MEMBER 
WHO IS A SERVICEMEMBER.—The certifi-
cation described in subparagraph (A)(i) 
shall be sufficient if the certification states 
that the employee is needed to care for 
covered servicemember on the date that the 
leave of the employee expired.’’. 
(g) ENFORCEMENT.—Section 107(a)(1)(A)(i)(II) of 
such Act (29 U.S.C. 2617(a)(1)(A)(i)(II)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘section 102(a)(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (3) 
or (6) of section 102(a)’’. 
TITLE II—FEDERAL CIVILIAN 
EMPLOYEES 
SEC. 201. EMPLOYEES COVERED BY TITLE 5, UNITED 
STATES CODE. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 6381 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘employee’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘employee or 
covered servicemember’’; 
(2) by striking paragraphs (6) and (7) and in-
serting the following: 
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‘‘(6) the term ‘son or daughter’ means a bio-
logical, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal 
ward, or a child of a person standing in loco 
parentis— 
‘‘(A) who is— 
‘‘(i) under 18 years of age; or 
‘‘(ii) 18 years of age or older and in-
capable of self-care because of a mental or 
physical disability; or 
‘‘(B) for the purposes of leave under sec-
tion 6382(a)(1)(e) or section 6382(a)(3)(A), in-
cludes (regardless of age) any child, stepchild, 
legal ward, or child of a person standing in loco 
parentis; 
‘‘(7) the term ‘covered active duty’ means— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a member of a regular 
component of the Armed Forces, duty during 
the deployment of the member with the Armed 
Forces to a foreign country; and 
‘‘(B) in the case of a member of a reserve 
component of the Armed Forces— 
‘‘(i) duty during the deployment of 
the member with the Armed Forces under 
a call or order to active duty under a pro-
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vision of law referred to in section 
101(a)(13)(B) of title 10; 
‘‘(ii) duty pursuant to title 32; or 
‘‘(iii) State active duty (defined for 
purposes of this clause as having the 
meaning of such term in section 4303(15) 
of title 38) for a period of 14 days or 
more, State active duty in response to a 
national emergency declared by the Presi-
dent under the National Emergencies Act 
(50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), or State active 
duty in response to a major disaster de-
clared by the President under section 401 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5170);’’; 
(3) in paragraph (8)(B), by striking ‘‘and who 
was’’ through ‘‘therapy;’’ and inserting a semicolon; 
(4) in paragraph (11)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (A); 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘at any time during a 
period described in paragraph (8)(B)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
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(C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) 
the following: 
‘‘(C) in the case of either a member of the 
Armed Forces (including a member of the Na-
tional Guard or Reserves), or a veteran who 
was such a member, a serious health condition 
that was incurred by the member in line of duty 
on active duty in the Armed Forces (or existed 
before the beginning of the member’s active 
duty and was aggravated by service in line of 
duty on active duty in the Armed Forces);’’; 
(5) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(6) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(13) the term ‘spouse’, used with respect to an 
employee for leave under section 6382(a)(1)(E), in-
cludes a domestic partner (defined as an adult in a 
committed relationship with another adult, including 
same-sex and opposite-sex relationships).’’. 
(b) SERVICEMEMBER CARE AND VETERAN LEAVE.— 
Section 6382 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (a)(3) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(3)(A) Subject to section 6383, an employee 
who is the spouse, son or daughter, son-in-law or 
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daughter-in-law, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, 
sibling, uncle or aunt, nephew or niece, or next of 
kin of a covered servicemember, or any other indi-
vidual whose close association is the equivalent of a 
family relationship with a covered servicemember, 
shall be entitled to a total of 26 workweeks of leave 
during a 12-month period to care for the service-
member. 
‘‘(B) Subject to section 6383, an employee who 
is a covered servicemember shall be entitled to a 
total of 26 workweeks of leave during a 12-month 
period because of a serious injury or illness that 
makes the employee unable to perform the functions 
of the position of such employee. 
‘‘(C) For the purposes of subparagraph (A), the 
following definitions apply: 
‘‘(i) ANY
OTHER
INDIVIDUAL
WHOSE 
CLOSE ASSOCIATION IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A 
FAMILY RELATIONSHIP.—The term ‘any other 
individual whose close association is the equiva-
lent of a family relationship’, used with respect 
to a covered servicemember, means any person 
with whom the covered servicemember has a 
significant personal bond that is or is like a 
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used with respect to a covered servicemember, 
mean any person who is a spouse or domestic 
partner of a son or daughter, as the case may 
be, of the covered servicemember. 
‘‘(viii) UNCLE; AUNT.—The terms ‘uncle’ 
and ‘aunt’, used with respect to a covered serv-
icemember, mean the son or daughter, as the 
case may be, of the grandparent of the covered 
servicemember (other than the parent of the 
covered servicemember).’’. 
(2) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) In any case in which the necessity for leave 
under subsection (a)(3)(B) is foreseeable, the employee 
shall provide such notice to the employer as is reasonable 
and practicable.’’. 
(c) CERTIFICATION.—Section 6383 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘subparagraph 
(C) or (D) of section 6382(a)(1)’’ and inserting 
‘‘subparagraph (C) or (D) of paragraph (1) of sec-
tion 6382(a) or subparagraph (A) or (B) of para-
graph (3) of such section’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
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(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or seri-
ous injury or illness, as the case may be,’’ after 
‘‘serious health condition’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) 
by 
striking 
‘‘section 
6382(a)(1)(C)’’ and inserting ‘‘para-
graph (1)(C) or paragraph (3)(A) of 
section 6382(a)’’; and 
(II) by inserting ‘‘covered service-
member,’’ before ‘‘son’’ in each place 
it appears; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘section 6382(a)(1)(D)’’ and inserting 
‘‘paragraph (1)(D) or paragraph (3)(B) of 
section 6382(a)’’. 
Æ 
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