[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8248 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8248

 To establish a grant program in the Department of Defense to increase 
the number of women, LGBT individuals, and underrepresented minorities 
  in military and civilian leadership positions of the Department of 
                                Defense.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2020

    Mr. Veasey (for himself, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Vela, and Ms. 
   Escobar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a grant program in the Department of Defense to increase 
the number of women, LGBT individuals, and underrepresented minorities 
  in military and civilian leadership positions of 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 ``Diversity in Military Leadership 
Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN AND 
              UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES IN MILITARY AND CIVILIAN 
              LEADERSHIP POSITIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary of Defense may award grants 
on a competitive basis to any entity that the Secretary determines has 
the capacity and expertise to carry out the activities described in 
subsection (b) for the purpose of increasing the participation of women 
and underrepresented minorities in military and civilian leadership 
positions of the Department of Defense.
    (b) Application.--An entity that seeks a grant under this section 
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--An entity that receives a grant under 
this section shall use the grant funds to carry out one or more of the 
following activities:
            (1) Online interactive workshops for women and 
        underrepresented minorities.
            (2) Mentoring programs that partner members of the Armed 
        Forces and officers and employees of the Department with 
        students who are women or underrepresented minorities, or both.
            (3) Internships for undergraduate and graduate students who 
        are women or underrepresented minorities, or both, with the 
        Department.
            (4) Outreach programs that provide elementary school and 
        secondary school students who are women or underrepresented 
        minorities, or both, with opportunities to increase their 
        exposure to military and civilian defense careers.
            (5) Such additional activities as the Secretary may 
        authorize.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``minority'' means American Indian, Alaskan 
        Native, Black (not of Hispanic origin), Hispanic (including 
        persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central or South 
        American origin), Asian (including underrepresented subgroups), 
        Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander origin subgroup, lesbian, 
        gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, or other demographic 
        group underrepresented in military and civilian leadership 
        positions of the Department of Defense.
            (2) The term ``underrepresented minority'' means a minority 
        group that is not represented in military and civilian 
        leadership positions of the Department of Defense at a rate 
        comparable to the percentage of the population of the United 
        States that is comprised of members of that underrepresented 
        minority.
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