119-hr5025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5025 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5025

 To ensure equal opportunity, racial neutrality, and the exclusive use 
 of merit in military personnel decisions, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 August 22, 2025

 Ms. Mace (for herself and Mr. Carter of Georgia) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To ensure equal opportunity, racial neutrality, and the exclusive use 
 of merit in military personnel decisions, 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 ``Restoring Merit in the Military 
Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, RACIAL NEUTRALITY, AND 
 EXCLUSIVE USE OF MERIT IN MILITARY PERSONNEL ACTIONS.

    (a) Merit Requirement.--All Department of Defense military 
personnel actions, including accessions, promotions, assignments, 
command selection, and military and civil schooling selection and 
training, shall be based exclusively on individual merit, fitness, 
capability, and performance.

    (b) Consideration of Race Prohibited.--Consideration of an 
individual's race, ethnicity, or national origin in any military 
personnel action is prohibited throughout the Department of Defense.
            (c) Limited Exception for Tasking of Specific Missions.--

    (1) In general.--This section shall not be construed to 
 prohibit tasking for specific, unconventional missions in 
 foreign countries, where the anticipated ground operating 
 environment of indigenous populations may justify consideration 
 of race, ethnicity, or national origin when tasking for the 
 mission to optimize mission success.

    (2) Combatant commander approval required.--Any tasking 
 pursuant to the exception described in paragraph

    (1) shall 
 require the approval of the combatant commander concerned.

    (3) Reporting requirement.--Not later than 60 days after a 
 tasking pursuant to the exception described in paragraph

    (1) , 
 the Secretary of Defense shall report the tasking to the 
 Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
 Representatives. The report shall describe--
        (A) the mission, including location and duration;
        (B) the staffing of the mission;
            (C) the demographic factors warranting the tasking;
            (D) the number of personnel involved, including 
 their rank, position, and race, ethnicity, and national 
 origin; and
        (E) the rationale for the tasking.
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