[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7745 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7745

 To establish certain requirements relating to wellness checks for the 
  health and welfare of certain members of the Armed Forces, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 2, 2026

Mr. Arrington (for himself, Mr. McDowell, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Rose, Mr. Van 
Epps, and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                   to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish certain requirements relating to wellness checks for the 
  health and welfare of certain members of the Armed Forces, 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. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO WELLNESS CHECKS FOR HEALTH AND 
              WELFARE OF CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

    (a) Wellness Checks.--
            (1) Wellness checks required.--The Secretary of Defense 
        shall issue such regulations, policies, and procedures as may 
        be necessary to require that, whenever appropriate following a 
        member of the Armed Forces sustaining any significant injury or 
        illness or being on sick call, a wellness check is conducted to 
        account for the health and welfare of such member.
            (2) Methods of contact.--In conducting a wellness check for 
        a member of the Armed Forces pursuant to paragraph (1), if the 
        member does not respond to such check conducted via an 
        electronic or telephone communication method, the individual 
        conducting the check shall progress to an in-person method of 
        contact.
            (3) Result of failure to locate.--If, as a result of a 
        wellness check conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) for a member 
        of the Armed Forces, the individual conducting such check is 
        unable to locate such member, the individual shall refer to the 
        applicable regulations, policies, and procedures of the 
        Department of Defense regarding the determination and reporting 
        of such member as missing, absent unknown, absent without 
        leave, or duty status-whereabouts unknown.
    (b) Implementation by Unit Commanders.--In carrying out subsection 
(a), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each unit commander 
coordinates with the judge advocates assigned or attached to, or 
performing duty with, the unit under the command of such commander for 
assistance in the implementation of any regulation, policy, or 
procedure required under subsection (a) with respect to such unit.
    (c) Additional Actions by Unit Commanders.--On a routine basis, 
each unit commander shall--
            (1) review the requirements contained in the document 
        titled ``Commander's Critical Information Requirements'', dated 
        January 2020, or such successor document, to ensure such 
        requirements--
                    (A) have been issued or updated during the three-
                year period preceding any such review;
                    (B) reflect such medical issues or safety incidents 
                of members of the Armed Forces that the commander deems 
                sufficiently significant; and
                    (C) have been distributed to the unit under the 
                command of such commander; and
            (2) host confidential wellness meetings with subordinate 
        commanders at which such commanders may discuss with one or 
        more medical officers assigned to such unit any significant 
        injuries or illnesses affecting members of the Armed Forces 
        serving in or with such unit.
    (d) Training Courses.--Each Secretary concerned, and the Secretary 
of Defense with respect to civilian personnel of the Department of 
Defense, shall develop and implement training courses to ensure each 
member of an Armed Force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary (or 
each civilian employee of the Department of Defense, respectively) is 
aware of the importance of accountability with respect to health and 
welfare and of the significant negative outcomes that may occur when 
accountability procedures fail. Such courses shall be offered at 
leadership and supervisor trainings and shall include content relating 
to the conduct of wellness checks in accordance with subsection (a) and 
other related actions.
    (e) Secretary Concerned Defined.--In this section, the term 
``Secretary concerned'' has the meaning given such term in section 
101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
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