119-hr4006

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4006 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4006

To require the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity 
 to establish policy prohibiting the use of cellular phones and other 
 distracting devices by students in DODEA schools, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 June 12, 2025

 Mr. Vindman (for himself and Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, 
 and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To require the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity 
 to establish policy prohibiting the use of cellular phones and other 
 distracting devices by students in DODEA schools, 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. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Mission Utilize No Phones in 
Learning to Unleash Growth in Grades and Educate Distraction-free Act'' 
or the ``Mission UNPLUGGED Act''.

SEC. 2. POLICY PROHIBITING THE USE OF CERTAIN ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN 
 DODEA SCHOOLS.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall establish and maintain a policy 
pursuant to which the use of covered electronic devices by students in 
schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity is 
prohibited during regular school hours.

    (b) Additional Requirements and Exceptions.--

    (1) Requirements.--The policy required under subsection

    (a) --
        (A) shall provide administrators of individual 
 schools with a degree of flexibility to determine the 
 methods of enforcing the policy at their school, 
 subject to such limits as the Director determines 
 appropriate; and
        (B) shall include procedures that enable parents 
 and children to contact each other during the school 
 day in the event of an emergency.

    (2) Exceptions.--The policy required under subsection

    (a) shall include exceptions pursuant to which a student may use a 
 covered electronic device--
        (A) in an emergency situation;
        (B) on school grounds outside of regular school 
 hours, such as while awaiting transportation to or from 
 school or while participating in extracurricular 
 activities;
            (C) if the student has a medical or health 
 condition requiring use of a covered electronic device 
 as part of a treatment or monitoring plan as certified 
 by a licensed healthcare provider;
            (D) if the student has a disability or special 
 needs and the use of a covered electronic device is 
 documented as necessary--
            (i) as part of an individualized education 
 program;
            (ii) as an accommodation under 

section 504 
 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
 794) or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.); or
            (iii) under a similar policy or program of 
 the Department of Defense Education Activity;
        (E) if the student is an English learner and 
 requires the use of a covered electronic device to 
 assist with learning or understanding the English 
 language; and
        (F) in such other circumstances as the Director 
 determines appropriate.
            (c) Consultation.--In developing the policy under subsection

    (a) , 
the Director shall consult with--

    (1) the Chief Academic Officer and the District 
 Superintendents of the Department of Defense Education 
 Activity; and

    (2) School Advisory Committees for schools operated by the 
 Activity.
            (d) Implementation.--The policy required under subsection

    (a) shall 
be established not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act and shall apply with respect to school years beginning 
after the date on which the policy is established.

SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT SCHOOLS.

    (a) In General.--The Director is authorized to provide support to 
schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity to 
assist such schools in the implementation of the policy required under 

section 2. Such support may include--

    (1) the procurement of lockboxes or other means for storing 
 covered electronic devices during the school day; and

    (2) such other forms of support as the Director determines 
 appropriate.

    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $1,207,500 for fiscal year 2026.

SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the policy required 
under 

section 2 first takes effect, and on an annual basis thereafter 
for the following four years, the Director shall submit to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report on the status of the implementation of the 
policy.

    (b) Elements.--At a minimum, each report under subsection

    (a) shall 
include a description of--

    (1) how the policy has been implemented in the year covered 
 by the report;

    (2) the cost of implementation; and

    (3) any effects of the policy with respect to student 
 performance and mental health, teacher and student retention, 
 and other relevant outcomes.

SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act--

    (1) The term ``covered electronic devices'' means--
        (A) cellular phones, including smartphones; and
        (B) any other personal electronic devices the 
 Director determines--
            (i) are likely to distract students during 
 the school day; and
            (ii) are appropriate for inclusion in the 
 prohibition under 

section 2.

    (2) The ``Director'' means the Director of the Department 
 of Defense Education Activity.

    (3) The term ``English learner'' has the meaning given that 
 term in 

section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
 Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

    (4) The term ``individualized education program'' has the 
 meaning given that term in 

section 602 of the Individuals with 
 Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401).
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