Strengthening Relations in Military Communities Act of 2021
This bill requires the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity within the Department of Defense (DOD) to survey members of the Armed Forces and their family members who live in covered communities regarding relations between such individuals and their communities. Under the bill, covered community means a military installation and the area within 10 miles of the installation. DOD must report on the survey results every other year.
The bill requires DOD to designate 10 geographically diverse military installations for review in each survey and make the results of the survey reports publicly available on a DOD website.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6211 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6211
To amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Defense to conduct annual surveys on military community belonging and
support in military communities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 9, 2021
Mr. Brown of Maryland introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of
Defense to conduct annual surveys on military community belonging and
support in military communities, 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 ``Strengthening Relations in Military
Communities Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. PROGRAM TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES AND MILITARY COMMUNITIES.
(a) In General.--Chapter 23 of title 10, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after section 481a the following new section:
``Sec. 481b. Program to improve relations between members of the Armed
Forces and military communities
``(a) Survey.--(1) The Secretary of Defense, acting through the
Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity, shall conduct a
biennial survey of covered individuals regarding relations between
covered individuals and covered communities.
``(2) The survey shall be conducted to solicit information from
covered individuals regarding the following:
``(A) Rank, age, racial, ethnic, and gender demographics of
the covered individuals.
``(B) Relationships of covered individuals with the covered
community, including support services and acceptance of the
military community.
``(C) Availability of housing, employment opportunities for
military spouses, health care, education, and other relevant
issues.
``(D) Initiatives of local government and community
organizations in addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
``(E) Physical safety while in a covered community but
outside the military installation located in such covered
community.
``(F) Any other matters designated by the Secretary of
Defense.
``(b) Additional Activities.--Additional activities under this
section may include the following:
``(1) Facilitating local listening sessions and information
exchanges.
``(2) Developing educational campaigns.
``(3) Supplementing existing local and national defense
community programs.
``(4) Sharing best practices and activities.
``(c) Coordination.--To support activities under this section, the
Secretary of Defense may coordinate with local governments or not-for-
profit organizations that represent covered individuals.
``(d) Report.--(1) Not later than September 30 of every other year,
the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the
most recent survey under subsection (a).
``(2) Each report under paragraph (1) shall include--
``(A) with respect to each covered community--
``(i) the results of the survey required under
subsection (b); and
``(ii) activities conducted to address racial
inequity in the community;
``(B) aggregate results of the survey required under
subsection (b); and
``(C) best practices for creating positive relationships
between covered individuals and covered communities.
``(3) The Secretary of Defense shall--
``(A) designate ten geographically diverse military
installations for review in each survey;
``(B) make the results of each report under paragraph (1)
available on a publicly accessible website of the Department of
Defense; and
``(C) ensure that any data included with the report is made
available in a machine-readable format that is downloadable,
searchable, and sortable.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `covered community' means a military
installation designated under subsection (e)(3)(A) and the area
within 10 miles of such military installation.
``(2) The term `covered individual' means any of the
following who lives in a covered community or works on a
military installation in a covered community:
``(A) A member of the Armed Forces.
``(B) A family member of an individual described in
subparagraph (A) or (B).
``(3) The term `military installation' has the meaning
given such term in section 2801 of this title.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
481a the following new item:
``481b. Program to improve relations between members of the Armed
Forces and military communities.''.
(c) Implementation.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out the
first survey under section 481b(a) of such title, as added by
subsection (a), not later than one year after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
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