Command Accountability for Military Family Readiness Act

Bill: 116-s-3800
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
Introduced: 2020-05-21
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Child care and development

Child health

Congressional oversight

Employment and training programs

Food assistance and relief

Health care coverage and access

Mental health

Military command and structure

Military education and training

Military facilities and property

Military medicine

Military personnel and dependents

Military readiness

Nutrition and diet

Women's health
Latest action: action_date: 2020-05-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-05-21
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Command Accountability for Military Family Readiness Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires each military department to prioritize military readiness.</p> <p>Specifically, each department must</p> <ul> <li>designate the command personnel who shall undergo a climate assessment that takes into account their support of military family readiness;</li> <li>provide training, guidance, and other information to ensure that such command personnel are equipped to encourage and support military family readiness within their unit or installation;</li> <li>ensure that each assessment includes the extent to which the command personnel encourage and support military family readiness; and</li> <li>ensure that each assessment includes surveys of the spouses of service members on matters that are relevant to military spouses, military families, and military family readiness.</li> </ul>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3800 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 21, 2020 Mr. Blumenthal (for himself and Mrs. Gillibrand ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To provide for the enhancement of command climate assessments in the Armed Forces in order to improve the assessment of matters in connection with military family readiness, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Command Accountability for Military Family Readiness Act . 2. Enhancement of command climate assessments for military family readiness purposes (a) Specification of command personnel subject to assessment for military family readiness responsibilities Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a military department shall specify, for the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary, the command personnel of units and installations who shall be subject to a command climate assessment that takes into account the discharge by such personnel of leadership responsibilities for support of military family readiness among the personnel of such units and installations. (b) Training and guidance Commencing not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a military department shall provide individuals serving as command personnel specified pursuant to subsection (a) in the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary with training, guidance, and other information to ensure that such command personnel are equipped to encourage and support military family readiness among the personnel within the unit or installation commanded by such personnel, including— (1) guidance on the direction of military families to family readiness resources available at such unit or installation; (2) guidance on the provision of information to military families on programs for military family readiness that are available military Department-wide or Department of Defense-wide; and (3) such other training, guidance, and other information as such Secretary considers appropriate. (c) Inclusion of support for military family readiness in command climate assessments Each command climate assessment with respect to a military unit or installation that is conducted after the date specified in subsection (e) shall include an assessment of the extent to which the commander personnel at such unit or installation specified pursuant to subsection (a) encourage and support military family readiness, including with respect to the following factors that contribute to military family readiness: (1) Command and unit leadership efforts to welcome new military families to the installation concerned and ensure that such families are immediately connected with any resources necessary to acclimatize to such installation. (2) Command and unit leadership support for military families experiencing challenges with military family housing, including any military family housing under the alternative authority for acquisition and improvement of military housing under subchapter IV of chapter 169 of title 10, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Military Housing Privatization Initiative ). (3) Command and unit leadership efforts to inform military spouses of employment opportunities, including access to any apprenticeship, on-the-job training, internship, or educational opportunities offered on or off the installation concerned, and provide follow-on support to members of the unit concerned and their family members with respect to such opportunities. (4) Command and unit leadership support for military families seeking child care opportunities, including support for children with special needs and support for new parents seeking support programs, whether on or off the installation concerned. (5) Command and unit leadership support for military families during deployment and training exercises of the unit concerned. (6) Command and unit leadership support for military spouses during pregnancy and after childbirth, particularly during instances when members of the unit are deployed or away at training at the time of birth. (7) Command and unit leadership support for military families preparing to transition into civilian life, including facilitation of the completion of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and access to programs under section 1143(e) of title 10, United States Code (commonly referred to as Job Training, Employment Skills, Apprenticeships and Internships (JTEST–AI) or Skill Bridge ). (8) Command unit leadership support for military families seeking access to health care and mental health resources. (9) Command unit leadership support for military families experiencing food insecurity and seeking nutrition assistance program support. (d) Inclusion of military spouses in climate assessments Each command climate assessment with respect to a military unit or installation that is conducted after the date specified in subsection (e) shall include, as relevant, surveys of spouses of members of the Armed Forces of such unit or installation on matters of such command climate assessment that are relevant to military spouses, military families, and military family readiness. (e) Effective date The requirements in subsections (c) and (d) shall apply with respect to command climate assessments conducted on or after the date specified by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of this section, which date may not be later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. (f) Reports (1) Reports on actions taken to comply Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a military department shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the actions taken by such Secretary to carry out the requirements of this section, including a copy of the enhanced command climate assessments to be conducted for the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary incorporating revisions necessary to comply with the requirements in subsections (c) and (d). (2) Reports on first assessments Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a military department shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the results of the command climate assessments conducted for the Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary as of the date of such report in compliance with the requirements in subsections (c) and (d), including the data obtained through such assessments and a summary evaluation of such assessments and data.