S. 5231 – Protecting our Servicemembers through Proven Methods Act of 2022

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Updated February 8, 2026 at 6:42 PM UTC

The Protecting our Servicemembers through Proven Methods Act of 2022 expands the Department of Defense’s primary‑prevention research agenda to better understand and prevent interpersonal and self‑directed violence, including hazing and bullying, among service members. It also creates new reporting and workforce requirements to ensure the research is used in training and policy. The bill affects the DoD, other federal agencies, academic and nonprofit partners, and ultimately service members and their families.

Key Provisions

Adds a research focus on whether specific sub‑populations of the military are more likely to experience interpersonal violence
Directs research to identify factors that influence prevention, perpetration, and victimization of interpersonal and self‑directed violence
Improves collection and sharing of data on hazing, bullying, and related violence
Requires collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, state governments, academia, industry, nonprofits, and other non‑DoD entities in the research effort
Mandates a Comptroller General report within one year comparing DoD sexual harassment and prevention training to similar programs in other federal agencies and incorporating external data on hazing and bullying
Orders the Secretary of Defense to regularly integrate findings from the primary‑prevention research agenda into the DoD’s prevention workforce

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text: CR S7101-7102)

Armed Services Committee

December 12, 2022

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

December 12, 2022

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text: CR S7101-7102)

Armed Services Committee

December 12, 2022

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 5231 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. John CornynR-TX · Dec 12, 2022

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print my bill for introduction in the Congressional Record. The bill provides for a primary prevention research agenda and workforce. Mr. President, I ask…

Sen. John CornynR-TX · Dec 12, 2022

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print my bill for introduction in the Congressional Record. The bill provides for a primary prevention research agenda and workforce.

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued December 12, 2022

II

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5231

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

December 12, 2022

Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To provide for a primary prevention research agenda and workforce.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protecting our Servicemembers through Proven Methods Act of 2022.

547.

Primary prevention research agenda and workforce

(a)

Annual primary prevention research agenda

Section 549A(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1722) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively;

(2)

by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraphs:

(2)

include a focus on whether and to what extent sub-populations of the military community may be targeted for interpersonal violence more than others;

(3)

seek to identify factors that influence the prevention, perpetration, and victimization of interpersonal and self-directed violence;

(4)

seek to improve the collection and dissemination of data on hazing and bullying related to interpersonal and self-directed violence;

; and

(3)

by amending paragraph (6), as redesignated by paragraph (1) of this section, to read as follows:

(6)

incorporate collaboration with other Federal departments and agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, State governments, academia, industry, federally funded research and development centers, nonprofit organizations, and other organizations outside of the Department of Defense, including civilian institutions that conduct similar data-driven studies, collection, and analysis; and

.

(b)

Primary Prevention Workforce

Section 549B of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1722) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

in paragraph (2), by striking subsection (a) and inserting paragraph (1); and

(B)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3)

Comptroller General report

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that—

(A)

compares the sexual harassment and prevention training of the Department of Defense with similar programs at other departments and agencies of the Federal Government; and

(B)

includes relevant data collected by colleges and universities and other relevant outside entities on hazing and bullying and interpersonal and self-directed violence.

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(e)

Incorporation of research and findings

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the findings and conclusions from the primary prevention research agenda established under section 549A are regularly incorporated, as appropriate, within the primary prevention workforce established under subsection (a).

.