119th Congress · introduced in the Senate · Jul 30, 2026
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender neutral standards for members of certain Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Jul 30, 2026): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in Senate (Jul 30, 2026)
This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from excluding an individual from military positions or assignments based on gender. It also limits changes to DOD occupational performance standards that address gender neutrality.
First, the bill prohibits the exclusion of members of the Armed Forces from an occupational specialty, career field, or assignment on the basis of gender.
Next, it prohibits DOD from changing an occupational performance standard to increase or decrease the number of individuals in a career field on the basis of gender. (Currently, this prohibition only applies to increasing or decreasing the number of women.)
DOD must also apply occupational standards related to technical, tactical, cognitive, or physical abilities on a gender-neutral basis for positions that require such standards and must determine any such standards after a rigorous scientific process.
In situations where DOD establishes or revises a physical requirement for a military position, a member serving satisfactorily in such a position must be provided at least 18 months to meet the new standard.
Finally, DOD must notify Congress of any proposed changes to the gender-neutral occupational standards for a military position that may result in at least a 10% change in the number of members of any gender who are assigned to or enter that position. (Currently, such notice is required only with respect to a change in the number of female members.) DOD must provide the congressional defense committees with a report on the proposed change, estimated costs, and justification for the change.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in Senate
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
LD-2 reports whose issue descriptions explicitly cite this bill (bill type and number validated against Congress.gov records). A citation does not establish the client's position or any contact with a member.
Loading lobbying reportsCoverage: reports for 2025 onward, posted Jan 1, 2025 through Oct 23, 2026.
3 citations.
NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER ACTION FUND · lobbying firm or registrant: NATIONAL WOMEN'S LAW CENTER ACTION FUND
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 20, 2026 · issue area: Defense
$50,000
Spent on own lobbying
Advocacy for the Women Add Resourcefulness and Resilience to Improve Operational Readiness (WARRIOR) Act (H.R. 8175/S. 5189) (House & Senate) Advocacy for the Military Officer Promotion Integrity Act of 2026 (S. 5542) (Senate) Advocacy against anti-trans and anti-DEI measures in H.R…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number matches Congress.gov records and the bill predates the report; no title was cited with it. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION · lobbying firm or registrant: AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 19, 2026 · issue area: Civil Rights/Civil Liberties
$950,000
Spent on own lobbying
…9-Right to Worship Act-Issues Lobbied: Free Speech. S. 2902-Hidden Foster Care Transparency Act-Issues Lobbied: Women's Rights, Family Policing, Child Welfare. S. 5189-To amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender neutral standards for memb…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing
VOTEVETS ACTION FUND, INC. · lobbying firm or registrant: VOTEVETS ACTION FUND, INC.
2026 Q3 report (Jul 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026) · posted Oct 16, 2026 · issue area: Defense
$31,000
Spent on own lobbying
…omotion Integrity Act of 2026 Lobbied in support of S.5300 / H.R. 10457 - Honoring the Sacrifice of Troops in War Act of 2026 Lobbied in support of H.R. 8175 / S. 5189 - To amend title 10, United States Code, and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, to codify and clarify gender neutral standards for me…
Congress inferred from the report year; bill number and the title cited with it match Congress.gov records, and the bill predates the report. The amount is lobbying spending for every issue on this report, not this bill alone, and none of it is paid to any member of Congress. View filing