REMEDI Act
Bill: H.R.5113 | Sponsor: Rep. Crow, Jason (D-CO)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Realizing Efforts for Military Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Act or the REMEDI Act
This bill provides statutory authority for and expands the requirements regarding diversity and inclusion training for military personnel.
The bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to ensure that each military department conducts ongoing training programs regarding human relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion for all members of the Armed Forces, civilian employees of DOD, and contractors or subcontractors providing support to DOD.
Such training must be tailored to specific leadership levels and local area requirements.
DOD must ensure that an individual preparing to enter an officer accession program, execute an original enlistment agreement, or serve as a civilian employee is (1) provided information concerning the meaning of the oath of office or oath of enlistment for service in the Armed Forces with regards to the equal protection and civil liberties guarantees of the Constitution, and (2) informed that if supporting such guarantees is not possible for that individual, the individual should decline to join the Armed Forces.

To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand and codify matters 
      covered by diversity training in the Department of Defense.

    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 ``Realizing Efforts for Military 
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Act'' or the ``REMEDI Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDING.

    Congress finds that diversity, equity, and inclusion are important 
to promote unit cohesion, readiness, and effective performance of the 
national defense strategy by the Armed Forces of the United States.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION AND CODIFICATION OF MATTERS COVERED BY DIVERSITY 
              TRAINING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 101 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting before section 2002 the following new section:
``Sec. 2001. Human relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion training
    ``(a) Human Relations, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training.--
            ``(1) The Secretary shall ensure that the Secretary of a 
        military department conducts ongoing training programs 
        regarding human relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion for 
        all covered individuals under the jurisdiction of the Secretary 
        of a military department. Such training shall be tailored to 
        specific leadership levels and local area requirements.
            ``(2) Matters to be covered by such training include the 
        following:
                    ``(A) Racism.
                    ``(B) Equal opportunity.
                    ``(C) Discrimination on the basis of sex (including 
                pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity).
                    ``(D) Discrimination on the basis of age.
                    ``(E) Discrimination on the basis of religion.
                    ``(F) Stereotypes.
                    ``(G) Conscious and unconscious bias.
                    ``(H) Discrimination based on disability, both 
                physical and mental.
                    ``(I) Failure to provide a reasonable 
                accommodation.
                    ``(J) The importance to the Department of Defense, 
                the different terms and conditions of employment or 
                contract performance, and the protected civil rights 
                categories of, each of the following:
                            ``(i) Members serving on active duty.
                            ``(ii) Members of the reserve components.
                            ``(iii) Federal employees.
                            ``(iv) Nonappropriated fund employees.
                            ``(v) Host nation support.
                            ``(vi) Contractors and subcontractors.
                    ``(K) Hate group activity.
                    ``(L) Retaliation.
                    ``(M) Harassment and hostile environment.
                    ``(N) Hazing and bullying.
                    ``(O) Procedures for reporting and obtaining relief 
                for discrimination, retaliation, hostile work 
                environment with respect to each component of the 
                workforce.
                    ``(P) Procedures for appealing Equal Opportunity 
                and Equal Employment Opportunity complaints with 
                respect to each component of the workforce.
                    ``(Q) Any other matter the Secretary of Defense 
                determines appropriate.
            ``(3) Such training shall be provided during the following:
                    ``(A) Initial entry training.
                    ``(B) Annual refresher training.
                    ``(C) Professional military education.
                    ``(D) Peer education.
                    ``(E) Specialized leadership training.
                    ``(F) Any other time the Secretary of Defense 
                determines appropriate.
            ``(4) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that such 
        measures are taken to provide appropriate metrics and 
        measurement of these efforts.
            ``(5) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that unit 
        commanders are aware of their responsibility to ensure that 
        activity based upon discriminatory motives does not occur in 
        units under their command.
    ``(b) Information Provided to Prospective Recruits.--The Secretary 
of Defense shall ensure that a covered individual preparing to enter an 
officer accession program or to execute an original enlistment 
agreement or serve as a civilian employee--
            ``(1) is provided information concerning the meaning of the 
        oath of office or oath of enlistment for service in the Armed 
        Forces with regards to the equal protection and civil liberties 
        guarantees of the Constitution; and
            ``(2) is informed that if supporting such guarantees is not 
        possible personally for that covered individual, then that 
        covered individual should decline to join the Armed Forces.
    ``(c) Covered Individual Defined.--In this section, the term 
`covered individual' includes--
            ``(1) a member of the Armed Forces;
            ``(2) a civilian employee of the Department; and
            ``(3) a contractor or sub-contractor providing support to 
        the Department.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Technical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting before the 
        item relating to section 2002 the following new item:

``2001. Human relations, diversity, equity, and inclusion training.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 571 of the National 
        Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (Public Law 104-
        201; 10 U.S.C. 113 note) is repealed.
                                 <all>