S. 1930Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Fair and Equal Treatment of Women in the Coast Guard Act

Introduced June 20, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 6:26 AM UTC

The Fair and Equal Treatment of Women in the Coast Guard Act requires the Coast Guard’s Commandant to develop and report on actions that improve gender diversity. It directs the Commandant to create an action plan based on a 2019 RAND gender‑diversity report within 180 days and to submit that plan to the relevant Senate and House committees. The law also adds a new statutory requirement for biennial reports on gender diversity, covering numbers, recruitment, retention, parental leave, career limitations, and progress on the action plan. These measures affect all active‑duty and Reserve members of the U.S. Coast Guard, especially women service members.

Key Provisions

  • Within 180 days of enactment, the Commandant must identify which RAND report recommendations can be implemented and submit an action plan to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
  • Amends Title 14, U.S. Code to add Sec. 5109, requiring the Commandant to submit a gender‑diversity report by Jan 15, 2022 and every two years thereafter.
  • Each biennial report must include an overview of men and women in the Coast Guard, analysis of recruitment and retention of women, data on parental leave usage, analysis of gender‑based career limitations (e.g., shipboard, remote units), and a description of progress on the action plan.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

June 20, 2019

View full timeline
SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

June 20, 2019

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

June 20, 2019

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Introduced in SenateIssued June 20, 2019

II

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1930

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 20, 2019

Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mr. Markey, and Ms. Duckworth) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To amend title 14, United States Code, to direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to report to Congress on efforts to increase gender diversity in the Coast Guard, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Fair and Equal Treatment of Women in the Coast Guard Act.

2.

Action plan and report on gender diversity in the Coast Guard

(a)

Action plan with respect to recommendations of RAND diversity report

(1)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall—

(A)

determine which recommendations in the RAND gender diversity report may practicably be implemented to promote gender diversity in the Coast Guard; and

(B)

submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives an action plan including the actions the Coast Guard has taken or plans to take to implement such recommendations.

(2)

RAND diversity report defined

In this subsection, the term RAND diversity report means the 2019 report of the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center of the RAND Corporation entitled Improving Gender Diversity in the U.S. Coast Guard: Identifying Barriers to Female Retention.

(b)

Biennial reports

(1)

In general

Chapter 51 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

5109.

Report on gender diversity in the Coast Guard

(a)

In general

Not later than January 15, 2022, and biennially thereafter, the Commandant shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on gender diversity in the Coast Guard.

(b)

Elements

Each report required under subsection (a) shall contain the following:

(1)

Gender diversity overview

An overview of Coast Guard active duty and Reserve members, including—

(A)

the number of men and women officers and enlisted members; and

(B)

the percentages of men and women serving as Coast Guard active duty and Reserve members.

(2)

Recruitment and retention

(A)

An analysis of the changes in the recruitment and retention of women during the preceding two-year period.

(B)

A discussion of any changes to Coast Guard recruitment and retention during the preceding two-year period that were aimed at increasing the recruitment and retention of women members.

(3)

Parental leave

(A)

The number of men and women who took parental leave during each year covered by the report, including the average length of such leave periods.

(B)

A discussion of the ways in which the Coast Guard worked to mitigate the impacts of parental leave on Coast Guard operations and on the careers of the members taking such leave during the preceding two-year period.

(4)

Limitations

An analysis of current gender-based limitations on Coast Guard career opportunities, including an analysis of—

(A)

shipboard opportunities;

(B)

opportunities to serve at remote units; and

(C)

any other limitation on the opportunities of women members.

(5)

Progress on action plan

A description of the implementation of the action plan required under section 2 of the Fair and Equal Treatment of Women in the Coast Guard Act.

.

(c)

Clerical amendment

The analysis for chapter 51 of title 14, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

5109. Report on gender diversity in the Coast Guard.

.