H.R. 3166House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

To direct the Secretary of Defense to modernize certain forms and surveys of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 6:02 AM UTC

The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to review all Department of Defense forms and surveys for language that could be considered racially or ethnically insensitive. It mandates reporting the findings and a plan to update those forms to the Armed Services committees, and it sets deadlines for the study, reporting, and implementation of the updates. The changes would affect any DoD personnel or contractors who use those forms and surveys.

Key Provisions

Conduct a study to identify DoD forms and surveys containing potentially insensitive racial or ethnic terms.
Submit interim status reports to the House and Senate Armed Services committees at 90 and 180 days after enactment.
Provide a final report within one year that lists identified forms and proposes a modernization plan with legislative recommendations.
Implement the modernization plan within 18 months of the bill’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Military Personnel Subcommittee

June 11, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 10, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E729)

June 10, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

June 10, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Military Personnel Subcommittee

June 11, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 10, 2019

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3166

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 10, 2019

Mr. Hastings (for himself, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Moore, Ms. Adams, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Mrs. Lawrence, Ms. Waters, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Lewis, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Ms. Bass, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Omar, Mr. Rush, Ms. Norton, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Sires, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Meng, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Cisneros, Ms. Plaskett, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Horsford, Mr. Swalwell of California, Mr. Cox of California, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Veasey, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Clay, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Payne, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Case, and Ms. Escobar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Defense to modernize certain forms and surveys of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.

Modernization of certain forms and surveys

(a)

Study

The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study to identify each form and survey of the Department of Defense, in use on the date of the enactment of this Act, that contains a term or classification that the Secretary determines may be considered racially or ethnically insensitive.

(b)

Reports

(1)

Interim Reports

On the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and on the date that is 180 days after such date of enactment, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the status of the study conducted under subsection (a).

(2)

Final Report

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the results of the study conducted under subsection (a) that includes—

(A)

a list of each form and survey identified under such study; and

(B)

a plan for modernizing the terms and classifications contained in such forms and surveys, including legislative recommendations.

(c)

Modernization Required

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall carry out the plan included in the report submitted under subsection (b).