Don Young Arctic Warrior Act
Bill: H.R.8023 | Sponsor: Rep. Speier, Jackie (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Don Young Arctic Warrior Act
This bill requires the military departments and the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide certain benefits to specified members of the Armed Forces who are assigned to a duty station in Alaska or those assigned to perform cold weather operations. Additionally, DOD must establish various programs and incentives for certain behavioral health students or professionals.

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 Representatives 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''.

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:
``Sec. 426. Allowance for broadband for certain members of the armed 
              forces assigned to permanent duty stations in Alaska
    ``(a) Allowance Authorized.--The Secretary concerned shall pay, to 
a covered member, a monthly allowance 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 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 sections 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 
                            assigned 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 regulations under paragraph (4).
            (4) Regulations.--Not later than six months after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
        prescribe regulations to carry out section 426 of such title, 
        as added by this subsection.
            (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--
                    (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 operations; 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 allowances.--Arctic pay is 
        in addition to any other pay or allowance to which a member is 
        entitled.
    (c) Travel and Transportation Allowance.--
            (1) Entitlement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 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 covered 
        member.
            (2) Amounts.--If the air travel is to the permanent 
        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 
        following:
                    (A) The rate for such air travel under the City 
                Pair Program of the General Services Administration (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 Secretary concerned may 
        authorize an additional allowance for a covered member who has 
        used the allowance to which such member is entitled under this 
        subsection.
            (5) Covered member defined.--In this subsection, the term 
        ``covered member'' has the meaning 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 program under this 
section, the Secretary shall take steps including the following:
            (1) Seek to enter into an agreement with an entity that--
                    (A) provides car sharing services; and
                    (B) is capable of serving all military 
                installations in Alaska.
            (2) Provide to members assigned to military installations 
        in Alaska the resources the Secretary determines necessary to 
        participate in such pilot program.
            (3) Promote such pilot program to such members.
    (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 program 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 program.
            (2) The cost to the United States of the pilot program.
            (3) An analysis of the effect of the pilot program on 
        mental health and community connectedness of members described 
        in subsection (b)(2).
            (4) Other information the Secretary determines appropriate.
    (f) Military Installation Defined.--In this section, the term 
``military installation'' has the meaning given such term in section 
2801 of title 10, United States Code.

SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION REGARDING LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS 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 ``, including by 
        providing non-medical counseling services in connection with 
        such practice,'' after ``the health profession or professions 
        of the health-care professional''; 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 relationships at home 
                and at work, stress management, adjustment issues (such 
                as those related to returning from a deployment), 
                marital problems, 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 programs.--The Secretary of 
        Defense shall establish graduate degree-granting programs in 
        counseling and social work at the Uniformed Services University 
        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 
        Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
            (3) Post-award employment obligation.--
                    (A) Agreement with secretary.--Subject to 
                subparagraph (B), as a condition of enrolling in a 
                degree-granting program in clinical psychology, social 
                work, or counseling at the Uniformed Services 
                University of the Health Sciences, a civilian student 
                shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary of 
                Defense pursuant to which the student agrees that, if 
                the student does not become a member of a uniformed 
                service upon graduating such program, the student 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 subparagraph (A) may include 
                such other terms and conditions as the Secretary of 
                Defense may determine necessary to protect the 
                interests of the United States or otherwise appropriate 
                for purposes of this section, including terms and 
                conditions providing for limited exceptions from the 
                employment obligation specified in such subparagraph.
                    (C) Repayment.--A civilian graduate who does not 
                complete the employment obligation required under the 
                agreement entered into pursuant to subparagraph (A) 
                shall repay to the Secretary of Defense a prorated 
                portion of the 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 defense 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 
                implementation;
                    (B) estimated timelines for such implementation; 
                and
                    (C) a projection of the number of graduates from 
                the programs specified in paragraph (1) upon the 
                completion of such implementation.
    (b) Scholarship-for-Service Program for Civilian 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 program under which--
                    (A) the Secretary may provide--
                            (i) direct grants to cover tuition, fees, 
                        living expenses, and other costs of attendance 
                        at an institution of higher education to an 
                        individual enrolled in a program of study 
                        leading to a graduate degree in clinical 
                        psychology, social work, counseling, or a 
                        related field (as determined by the Secretary); 
                        and
                            (ii) student loan repayment assistance to a 
                        credentialed behavioral health provider who has 
                        a graduate degree in clinical psychology, 
                        social work, counseling, or a related field (as 
                        determined by the Secretary); and
                    (B) in exchange for such assistance, the recipient 
                shall commit to work as a covered civilian behavioral 
                health provider in accordance with paragraph (2).
            (2) Post-award employment obligations.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), as a 
                condition of receiving assistance under paragraph (1), 
                the recipient of such assistance shall enter into an 
                agreement with the Secretary of Defense pursuant to 
                which the recipient 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 received assistance 
                under such paragraph.
                    (B) Other terms and conditions.--An agreement 
                entered into pursuant to subparagraph (A) may include 
                such other terms and conditions as the Secretary of 
                Defense may determine necessary to protect the 
                interests of the United States or otherwise appropriate 
                for purposes of this section, including terms and 
                conditions 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 complete the employment obligation 
        required under the agreement entered into pursuant to paragraph 
        (2) shall repay to the Secretary of Defense a prorated portion 
        of the financial assistance received by the individual under 
        paragraph (1). 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 congressional defense committees a plan for 
        the implementation of this subsection. Such plan shall 
        include--
                    (A) a determination as to the resources required 
                for such implementation;
                    (B) estimated timelines for such implementation; 
                and
                    (C) a projection of the number of recipients of 
                assistance under paragraph (1) upon the completion of 
                such implementation.
    (c) Internship Programs for Civilian Behavioral Health.--
            (1) Establishment of programs.--The Secretary of Defense 
        shall establish paid pre-doctoral and post-doctoral internship 
        programs for the purpose of training clinical psychologists to 
        work as covered civilian behavioral health providers.
            (2) Employment obligation.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (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 equivalent 
                to the period of participation in such internship 
                program.
                    (B) Other terms and conditions.--An agreement 
                entered into pursuant to subparagraph (A) may include 
                such other terms and conditions as the Secretary of 
                Defense may determine necessary to protect the 
                interests of the United States or otherwise appropriate 
                for purposes of this section, including terms and 
                conditions providing for limited exceptions from the 
                employment obligation specified in such subparagraph.
            (3) Repayment.--An individual who participates in an 
        internship program under paragraph (1) and does not complete 
        the employment obligation required under the agreement entered 
        into pursuant to paragraph (2) shall repay to the Secretary of 
        Defense 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 congressional defense committees a plan for 
        the implementation 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 sufficient capacity to supervise 
        participants in the internship programs under paragraph (1).
    (d) Retention Bonuses for Certain Behavioral Health Providers.--
            (1) Retention bonus.--From amounts available in the 
        Department of Defense Civilian Workforce Incentive Fund 
        established under section 9902(a)(3) of title 5, United States 
        Code, the Secretary of Defense may pay an incentive payment of 
        up to $50,000 annually per employee to employees described in 
        paragraph (2) for the purposes of retaining such employees.
            (2) Eligible recipients of bonus.--Employees described in 
        this paragraph are covered civilian behavioral health providers 
        in the following professions:
                    (A) Clinical psychologists.
                    (B) Social workers.
                    (C) Counselors.
    (e) Pilot Program on Safe Storage of Personally Owned Firearms.--
            (1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
        establish a voluntary pilot program to promote the safe storage 
        of personally owned firearms.
            (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 
        devices for the purpose of securing personally owned firearms 
        when not in use (including by directly providing, subsidizing, 
        or otherwise making available such devices).
            (3) Voluntary participants.--A member of the Armed Forces 
        described in this paragraph is a member of the Armed Forces who 
        elects to participate 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 Defense shall submit to 
        the congressional defense committees 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 program 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 information:
                    (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 Secretary 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 firearm, is 
                designed to prevent the firearm from being operated 
                without first deactivating the device;
                    (B) a device incorporated into the design of the 
                firearm that is designed to prevent the operation of 
                the firearm by any individual without access to the 
                device; or
                    (C) a safe, gun safe, gun case, lock box, or other 
                device that may be used to store a firearm and is 
                designed to be unlocked only by a key, combination, or 
                other similar means.
    (f) Report on Behavioral Health Workforce.--
            (1) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct 
        an analysis of the behavioral health workforce under the direct 
        care component of the TRICARE program and submit to the 
        congressional defense committees a report containing the 
        results 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 described 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 described in paragraph (2).
                    (C) The models developed by the Secretary to 
                determine the allocations of military behavioral health 
                providers assigned to military medical treatment 
                facilities and embedded within an operational unit.
                    (D) For each military department, the ratio of 
                military behavioral health providers assigned to 
                military medical treatment facilities compared to 
                civilian behavioral health providers so assigned, 
                disaggregated by the professions described in paragraph 
                (2) and by military installation.
                    (E) For each military department, the number of 
                military behavioral health providers authorized to be 
                embedded within an operational unit, and the number of 
                such positions filled, disaggregated by the professions 
                described in paragraph (2).
                    (F) Data on the historical demand for behavioral 
                health services by members of the Armed Forces.
                    (G) An estimate of the number of health care 
                providers necessary to meet the demand by such members 
                for behavioral health care services under the direct 
                care component of the TRICARE program, disaggregated by 
                provider type.
                    (H) An identification of any shortfall between the 
                estimated number under subparagraph (F) and the total 
                number of positions for behavioral health providers 
                filled within such workforce.
                    (I) Such other information as the Secretary may 
                determine appropriate.
            (2) Provider types.--The professions described in this 
        paragraph are as follows:
                    (A) Clinical psychologists.
                    (B) Social workers.
                    (C) Counselors.
                    (D) Such other professions as the Secretary 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 military 
        behavioral health providers (addressed separately with respect 
        to such providers assigned to military medical treatment 
        facilities and such providers 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 Professions Scholarship Program under 
        chapter 105 of title 10, United States Code, any additional 
        authorities or resources necessary for the Secretary to 
        increase the number of such providers, and such other 
        considerations as the Secretary may consider appropriate.
            (2) With respect to addressing any such shortfall of 
        civilian behavioral health providers, the recruitment, hiring, 
        retention, pay and benefits, workload, educational scholarship 
        programs, any additional authorities or resources necessary for 
        the Secretary to increase the number of such providers, and 
        such other considerations as the Secretary may consider 
        appropriate.
            (3) A recommendation as to whether the number 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 department to 
        assign additional military behavioral health providers to 
        military medical treatment facilities located at remote 
        installations under the jurisdiction 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 patient 
                receiving individualized treatment (following an 
                initial intake assessment) from a behavioral health 
                provider; and
                    (B) the frequency of regular follow-up appointments 
                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 ``congressional defense 
        committees'' have the meanings given those terms in section 101 
        of title 10, United States Code.
            (2) The term ``behavioral health'' includes psychiatry, 
        clinical psychology, social work, counseling, and related 
        fields.
            (3) The term ``civilian behavioral health provider'' 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 Higher 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 individual.
            (6) The term ``covered civilian behavioral health 
        provider'' means a civilian behavioral health provider whose 
        employment by the Secretary of Defense involves 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 provider'' 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 facility'' 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.
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