I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8023 
To amend titles 10 and 37, United States Code, to establish special pay 
and allowances for members of the Armed Forces assigned to cold weath-
er operations, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 9, 2022 
Ms. SPEIER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend titles 10 and 37, United States Code, to establish 
special pay and allowances for members of the Armed 
Forces assigned to cold weather operations, 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 ‘‘Don Young Arctic 
Warrior Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. SPECIAL PAY AND ALLOWANCES FOR MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES ASSIGNED TO COLD 
WEATHER OPERATIONS. 
(a) ALLOWANCE FOR BROADBAND.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Chapter 7 of title 37, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 425 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 426. Allowance for broadband for certain members 
of the armed forces assigned to perma-
nent duty stations in Alaska 
‘‘(a) ALLOWANCE AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall pay, to a covered member, a monthly allow-
ance for broadband. 
‘‘(b) AMOUNT.—The monthly allowance to a covered 
member under this section shall be— 
‘‘(1) $125 during calendar year 2023; and 
‘‘(2) in subsequent calendar years, an amount 
determined by the Secretary of Defense based on the 
difference between the average costs of unlimited 
broadband plans in Alaska and in the continental 
United States. 
‘‘(c) SUNSET.—No allowance may be paid under this 
section after December 31, 2028. 
‘‘(d) COVERED MEMBER DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘covered member’ means a member of the armed 
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forces assigned to a permanent duty station in Alaska who 
is— 
‘‘(1) an officer in a grade below O–3; or 
‘‘(2) an enlisted member in a grade below E– 
6.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 425 
the following: 
‘‘426. Allowance for broadband for certain members of the armed forces as-
signed to permanent duty stations in Alaska.’’. 
(3) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—Section 426 of such 
title, as added by this subsection, shall take effect on 
the day the Secretary of Defense prescribes regula-
tions under paragraph (4). 
(4) REGULATIONS.—Not later than six months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry 
out section 426 of such title, as added by this sub-
section. 
(5) REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 
2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
House of Representatives a report containing— 
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(A) the evaluation of the Secretary of the 
allowance under section 426 of such title, as 
added by this subsection; and 
(B) any recommendation of the Secretary 
regarding whether such allowance should be 
amended, extended, or made permanent. 
(b) SPECIAL PAY.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than six 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations 
under section 353 of title 37, United States Code, 
for the payment of special monthly pay (to be known 
as ‘‘arctic pay’’) to a member of the Armed 
Forces— 
(A) assigned to perform cold weather oper-
ations; or 
(B) 
required 
to 
maintain 
proficiency 
through frequent operations in cold weather. 
(2) AMOUNT OF PAY.—Arctic pay shall equal 
$300 per month. 
(3) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PAY OR ALLOW-
ANCES.—Arctic pay is in addition to any other pay 
or allowance to which a member is entitled. 
(c) TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE.— 
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(1) ENTITLEMENT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall prescribe regulations and 
guidance that entitle a covered member of the 
Armed Forces to a one-time allowance for air travel 
for the covered member and dependents of such cov-
ered member. 
(2) AMOUNTS.—If the air travel is to the per-
manent residence of the covered member, the 
amount of the allowance shall equal the total costs 
of such air travel. If such air travel is to another 
destination within the United States, amount of the 
allowance shall be equal to the lesser of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The rate for such air travel under the 
City Pair Program of the General Services Ad-
ministration (or successor program) in effect at 
the time of such air travel. 
(B) The actual costs of such air travel. 
(3) TIMING.—Air travel reimbursed under such 
regulation may not commence later than 30 months 
after the covered member is assigned to a permanent 
duty station in Alaska. 
(4) ADDITIONAL
AUTHORIZATION.—The Sec-
retary concerned may authorize an additional allow-
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ance for a covered member who has used the allow-
ance to which such member is entitled under this 
subsection. 
(5) COVERED MEMBER DEFINED.—In this sub-
section, the term ‘‘covered member’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 426 of title 37, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON CAR SHARING ON MILITARY 
INSTALLATIONS IN ALASKA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall seek to carry out a pilot program to allow 
car sharing on military installations in Alaska. 
(b) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.—To carry out a pilot pro-
gram under this section, the Secretary shall take steps in-
cluding the following: 
(1) Seek to enter into an agreement with an en-
tity that— 
(A) provides car sharing services; and 
(B) is capable of serving all military instal-
lations in Alaska. 
(2) Provide to members assigned to military in-
stallations in Alaska the resources the Secretary de-
termines necessary to participate in such pilot pro-
gram. 
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(3) Promote such pilot program to such mem-
bers. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—Not later than 90 
days after the date the Secretary enters into an agreement 
under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a plan to carry out the 
pilot program. 
(d) DURATION.—A pilot program under this section 
shall terminate two years after the Secretary commences 
such pilot program. 
(e) REPORT.—Upon the termination of a pilot pro-
gram under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
containing the following information: 
(1) The number of individuals who used car 
sharing services offered pursuant to the pilot pro-
gram. 
(2) The cost to the United States of the pilot 
program. 
(3) An analysis of the effect of the pilot pro-
gram on mental health and community connected-
ness of members described in subsection (b)(2). 
(4) Other information the Secretary determines 
appropriate. 
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(f) MILITARY INSTALLATION DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘military installation’’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 2801 of title 10, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION REGARDING LICENSURE REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR PROVISION OF NON-MEDICAL 
COUNSELING 
SERVICES 
BY 
CERTAIN 
HEALTH-CARE PROFESSIONALS. 
Section 1094 of title 10, United States Code is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (d)(1), by inserting ‘‘, includ-
ing by providing non-medical counseling services in 
connection with such practice,’’ after ‘‘the health 
profession or professions of the health-care profes-
sional’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The term ‘non-medical counseling’— 
‘‘(A) means short-term, non-therapeutic 
counseling that is not an appropriate substitute 
for individuals in need of clinical therapy; and 
‘‘(B) includes counseling that is supportive 
in nature and addresses issues such as general 
conditions of living, life skills, improving rela-
tionships at home and at work, stress manage-
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ment, adjustment issues (such as those related 
to returning from a deployment), marital prob-
lems, parenting, and grief and loss.’’. 
SEC. 
5. 
IMPROVEMENTS 
RELATING 
TO 
BEHAVIORAL 
HEALTH CARE AVAILABLE UNDER MILITARY 
HEALTH SYSTEM. 
(a) EXPANSION OF CERTAIN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 
PROGRAMS AT THE UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY 
OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
GRADUATE
PRO-
GRAMS.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
graduate degree-granting programs in counseling 
and social work at the Uniformed Services Univer-
sity of the Health Sciences. 
(2) EXPANSION
OF
CLINICAL
PSYCHOLOGY 
GRADUATE
PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall take such steps as may be necessary to expand 
the clinical psychology graduate program of the Uni-
formed Services University of the Health Sciences. 
(3) POST-AWARD EMPLOYMENT OBLIGATION.— 
(A) AGREEMENT WITH SECRETARY.—Sub-
ject to subparagraph (B), as a condition of en-
rolling in a degree-granting program in clinical 
psychology, social work, or counseling at the 
Uniformed Services University of the Health 
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Sciences, a civilian student shall enter into an 
agreement with the Secretary of Defense pursu-
ant to which the student agrees that, if the stu-
dent does not become a member of a uniformed 
service upon graduating such program, the stu-
dent shall work on a full-time basis as a covered 
civilian behavioral health provider for a period 
of a duration that is at least equivalent to the 
period during which the student was enrolled in 
such program. 
(B) OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—An 
agreement entered into pursuant to subpara-
graph (A) may include such other terms and 
conditions as the Secretary of Defense may de-
termine necessary to protect the interests of the 
United States or otherwise appropriate for pur-
poses of this section, including terms and condi-
tions providing for limited exceptions from the 
employment obligation specified in such sub-
paragraph. 
(C) REPAYMENT.—A civilian graduate who 
does not complete the employment obligation 
required under the agreement entered into pur-
suant to subparagraph (A) shall repay to the 
Secretary of Defense a prorated portion of the 
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student’s costs of attendance in the program 
described in such paragraph. The amount of 
such prorated portion shall be determined by 
the Secretary. 
(D) APPLICABILITY.—This subsection shall 
apply to civilian students who enroll in the first 
year of a degree-granting program in clinical 
psychology, social work, or counseling at the 
Uniformed Services University of the Health 
Sciences on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(4) IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall submit to the congressional de-
fense committees a plan for the implementation of 
this subsection. Such plan shall include— 
(A) a determination as to the resources for 
personnel and facilities required for such imple-
mentation; 
(B) estimated timelines for such implemen-
tation; and 
(C) a projection of the number of grad-
uates from the programs specified in paragraph 
(1) upon the completion of such implementa-
tion. 
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(b) SCHOLARSHIP-FOR-SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CI-
VILIAN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 
two years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pro-
gram under which— 
(A) the Secretary may provide— 
(i) direct grants to cover tuition, fees, 
living expenses, and other costs of attend-
ance at an institution of higher education 
to an individual enrolled in a program of 
study leading to a graduate degree in clin-
ical psychology, social work, counseling, or 
a related field (as determined by the Sec-
retary); and 
(ii) student loan repayment assistance 
to a credentialed behavioral health provider 
who has a graduate degree in clinical psy-
chology, social work, counseling, or a re-
lated field (as determined by the Sec-
retary); and 
(B) in exchange for such assistance, the 
recipient shall commit to work as a covered ci-
vilian behavioral health provider in accordance 
with paragraph (2). 
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(2) 
POST-AWARD
EMPLOYMENT
OBLIGA-
TIONS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), as a condition of receiving assistance 
under paragraph (1), the recipient of such as-
sistance shall enter into an agreement with the 
Secretary of Defense pursuant to which the re-
cipient agrees to work on a full-time basis as a 
covered civilian behavioral health provider for a 
period of a duration that is at least equivalent 
to the period during which the recipient re-
ceived assistance under such paragraph. 
(B) OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—An 
agreement entered into pursuant to subpara-
graph (A) may include such other terms and 
conditions as the Secretary of Defense may de-
termine necessary to protect the interests of the 
United States or otherwise appropriate for pur-
poses of this section, including terms and condi-
tions providing for limited exceptions from the 
post-award employment obligation specified in 
such subparagraph. 
(3) REPAYMENT.—An individual who receives 
assistance under paragraph (1) and does not com-
plete the employment obligation required under the 
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agreement entered into pursuant to paragraph (2) 
shall repay to the Secretary of Defense a prorated 
portion of the financial assistance received by the in-
dividual under paragraph (1). The amount of such 
prorated portion shall be determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(4) IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a plan for the imple-
mentation of this subsection. Such plan shall in-
clude— 
(A) a determination as to the resources re-
quired for such implementation; 
(B) estimated timelines for such implemen-
tation; and 
(C) a projection of the number of recipi-
ents of assistance under paragraph (1) upon 
the completion of such implementation. 
(c) INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS FOR CIVILIAN BEHAV-
IORAL HEALTH.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAMS.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall establish paid pre-doctoral 
and post-doctoral internship programs for the pur-
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pose of training clinical psychologists to work as cov-
ered civilian behavioral health providers. 
(2) EMPLOYMENT OBLIGATION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), as a condition of participating in an 
internship program under paragraph (1), the 
participant shall enter into an agreement with 
the Secretary of Defense pursuant to which the 
participant agrees to work on a full-time basis 
as a covered civilian behavioral health provider 
for a period of a duration that is at least equiv-
alent to the period of participation in such in-
ternship program. 
(B) OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—An 
agreement entered into pursuant to subpara-
graph (A) may include such other terms and 
conditions as the Secretary of Defense may de-
termine necessary to protect the interests of the 
United States or otherwise appropriate for pur-
poses of this section, including terms and condi-
tions providing for limited exceptions from the 
employment obligation specified in such sub-
paragraph. 
(3) REPAYMENT.—An individual who partici-
pates in an internship program under paragraph (1) 
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and does not complete the employment obligation re-
quired under the agreement entered into pursuant to 
paragraph (2) shall repay to the Secretary of De-
fense a prorated portion of the cost of administering 
such program with respect to such individual and of 
any payment received by the individual under such 
program. The amount of such prorated portion shall 
be determined by the Secretary. 
(4) IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees a plan for the imple-
mentation of this subsection. Such plan shall include 
an explanation of how the Secretary will adjust the 
workload and staffing of behavioral health providers 
in military medical treatment facilities to ensure suf-
ficient capacity to supervise participants in the in-
ternship programs under paragraph (1). 
(d) RETENTION BONUSES
FOR CERTAIN BEHAV-
IORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.— 
(1) RETENTION BONUS.—From amounts avail-
able in the Department of Defense Civilian Work-
force Incentive Fund established under section 
9902(a)(3) of title 5, United States Code, the Sec-
retary of Defense may pay an incentive payment of 
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up to $50,000 annually per employee to employees 
described in paragraph (2) for the purposes of re-
taining such employees. 
(2) ELIGIBLE
RECIPIENTS
OF
BONUS.—Em-
ployees described in this paragraph are covered civil-
ian behavioral health providers in the following pro-
fessions: 
(A) Clinical psychologists. 
(B) Social workers. 
(C) Counselors. 
(e) PILOT PROGRAM ON SAFE STORAGE OF PERSON-
ALLY OWNED FIREARMS.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall establish a voluntary pilot program to 
promote the safe storage of personally owned fire-
arms. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Under the pilot program 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall 
furnish to members of the Armed Forces described 
in paragraph (3) secure gun storage or safety de-
vices for the purpose of securing personally owned 
firearms when not in use (including by directly pro-
viding, subsidizing, or otherwise making available 
such devices). 
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(3) VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANTS.—A member of 
the Armed Forces described in this paragraph is a 
member of the Armed Forces who elects to partici-
pate in the pilot program under paragraph (1) and 
is stationed at a military installation selected under 
paragraph (5). 
(4) PLAN.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a plan for the implementation of the pilot 
program under paragraph (1). 
(5) SELECTION OF INSTALLATIONS.—Not later 
than two years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall select not 
fewer than five military installations at which to 
carry out the pilot program under paragraph (1). 
(6) DURATION.—The duration of the pilot pro-
gram under paragraph (1) shall be for a period of 
six years. 
(7) REPORT.—Upon the termination of the 
pilot program under paragraph (1), the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report containing the following infor-
mation: 
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(A) The number and type of secure gun 
storage or safety devices furnished to members 
of the Armed Forces under such pilot program. 
(B) The cost of such pilot program. 
(C) An analysis of the effect of such pilot 
program on suicide prevention. 
(D) Such other information as the Sec-
retary may determine appropriate, except that 
such information may not include the personally 
identifiable information of a participant in such 
pilot program. 
(8) SECURE GUN STORAGE OR SAFETY DEVICE 
DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘secure gun 
storage or safety device’’ means— 
(A) a device that, when installed on a fire-
arm, is designed to prevent the firearm from 
being operated without first deactivating the de-
vice; 
(B) a device incorporated into the design 
of the firearm that is designed to prevent the 
operation of the firearm by any individual with-
out access to the device; or 
(C) a safe, gun safe, gun case, lock box, or 
other device that may be used to store a fire-
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arm and is designed to be unlocked only by a 
key, combination, or other similar means. 
(f) REPORT
ON
BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH
WORK-
FORCE.— 
(1) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense shall conduct an analysis of the behavioral 
health workforce under the direct care component of 
the TRICARE program and submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report containing the re-
sults of such analysis. Such report shall include, 
with respect to such workforce, the following: 
(A) The number of positions authorized for 
military behavioral health providers within such 
workforce, and the number of such positions 
filled, disaggregated by the professions de-
scribed in paragraph (2). 
(B) The number of positions authorized for 
civilian behavioral health providers within such 
workforce, and the number of such positions 
filled, disaggregated by the professions de-
scribed in paragraph (2). 
(C) The models developed by the Secretary 
to determine the allocations of military behav-
ioral health providers assigned to military med-
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(H) An identification of any shortfall be-
tween the estimated number under subpara-
graph (F) and the total number of positions for 
behavioral health providers filled within such 
workforce. 
(I) Such other information as the Sec-
retary may determine appropriate. 
(2) PROVIDER
TYPES.—The professions de-
scribed in this paragraph are as follows: 
(A) Clinical psychologists. 
(B) Social workers. 
(C) Counselors. 
(D) Such other professions as the Sec-
retary may determine appropriate. 
(g) PLAN TO ADDRESS SHORTFALLS IN BEHAVIORAL 
HEALTH WORKFORCE.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees a plan to address 
any shortfall of the behavioral health workforce identified 
under subsection (f)(1)(G). Such plan shall address the 
following: 
(1) With respect to any such shortfall of mili-
tary behavioral health providers (addressed sepa-
rately with respect to such providers assigned to 
military medical treatment facilities and such pro-
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viders assigned to be embedded within operational 
units), the recruitment, accession, retention, special 
pay and other aspects of compensation, workload, 
role of the Uniformed Services University of the 
Health Sciences and the Armed Forces Health Pro-
fessions Scholarship Program under chapter 105 of 
title 10, United States Code, any additional authori-
ties or resources necessary for the Secretary to in-
crease the number of such providers, and such other 
considerations as the Secretary may consider appro-
priate. 
(2) With respect to addressing any such short-
fall of civilian behavioral health providers, the re-
cruitment, hiring, retention, pay and benefits, work-
load, educational scholarship programs, any addi-
tional authorities or resources necessary for the Sec-
retary to increase the number of such providers, and 
such other considerations as the Secretary may con-
sider appropriate. 
(3) A recommendation as to whether the num-
ber of military behavioral health providers in each 
military department should be increased, and if so, 
by how many. 
(4) A plan for each Secretary of a military de-
partment to assign additional military behavioral 
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health providers to military medical treatment facili-
ties located at remote installations under the juris-
diction of that Secretary. 
(5) An assessment of the feasibility of hiring 
covered civilian behavioral health providers at remote 
installations, to supplement the provision of services 
by military behavioral health providers. 
(6) Updated access standards for behavioral 
health care under the military health system, taking 
into account— 
(A) the duration of time between a patient 
receiving a referral for such care and the pa-
tient receiving individualized treatment (fol-
lowing an initial intake assessment) from a be-
havioral health provider; and 
(B) the frequency of regular follow-up ap-
pointments subsequent to the first appointment 
at which a patient receives such individualized 
treatment. 
(7) A plan to expand access to behavioral 
health care under the military health system using 
telehealth. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The terms ‘‘Armed Forces’’ and ‘‘congres-
sional defense committees’’ have the meanings given 
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those terms in section 101 of title 10, United States 
Code. 
(2) The term ‘‘behavioral health’’ includes psy-
chiatry, clinical psychology, social work, counseling, 
and related fields. 
(3) The term ‘‘civilian behavioral health pro-
vider’’ means a behavioral health provider who is a 
civilian employee of the Department of Defense. 
(4) The term ‘‘cost of attendance’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 472 of the High-
er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087ll). 
(5) The term ‘‘counselor’’ means an individual 
who holds— 
(A) a master’s or doctoral degree from an 
accredited graduate program in— 
(i) marriage and family therapy; or 
(ii) clinical mental health counseling; 
and 
(B) a current license or certification from 
a State that grants the individual the authority 
to provide counseling services as an independent 
practitioner in the respective field of the indi-
vidual. 
(6) The term ‘‘covered civilian behavioral health 
provider’’ means a civilian behavioral health provider 
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whose employment by the Secretary of Defense in-
volves the provision of behavioral health services at 
a military medical treatment facility. 
(7) The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 101 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001). 
(8) The term ‘‘military behavioral health pro-
vider’’ means a behavioral health provider who is a 
member of the Armed Forces. 
(9) The term ‘‘military installation’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 2801 of title 10, 
United States Code. 
(10) The term ‘‘military medical treatment fa-
cility’’ means a facility specified in section 1073d of 
such title. 
(11) The term ‘‘remote installation’’ means a 
military installation that the Secretary determines to 
be in a remote location. 
(12) The term ‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 1072 of such 
title. 
Æ 
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