Sec. 208. Support of women serving in the Coast Guard
891 words·~4 min read·
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Section 1903(d) of title 14, United States Code, is amended— in paragraph (5), by striking and at the end; by redesignating paragraph
(6)as paragraph (7); and by inserting after paragraph
(5)the following new paragraph (6): women's issues; and . The Commandant shall establish within the Coast Guard a national advisory board to be known as the National Coast Guard Women's Leadership Committee (in this subsection referred to as the Committee ). The Committee shall be composed of such number of members as the Commandant considers appropriate, selected by the Commandant through a public selection process from among applicants for membership on the Committee. The members of the Committee shall, to the extent practicable, represent the range and diversity of the Coast Guard. The members of the Committee shall include an equal number of each of the following: Active duty officers of the Coast Guard. Active duty enlisted members of the Coast Guard. Members of the Coast Guard Reserve. Retired members of the Coast Guard. The Committee— shall advise the Commandant on improvements to the recruitment, retention, success, and well-being of women serving in the Coast Guard; may submit to the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, and to the Commandant, recommendations in connection with its duties under this subsection, including recommendations to implement the advice described in subparagraph (A); and may brief Congress on its duties under this subsection, including the advice described in subparagraph
(A)and any recommendations described in subparagraph (B). The Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy shall establish at the Coast Guard Academy an advisory committee to be known as the Advisory Committee on Women's Leadership at the Coast Guard Academy (in this subsection referred to as the Advisory Committee ). The Advisory Committee shall be composed of not fewer than 12 current cadets of the Coast Guard Academy, including not fewer than 3 cadets from each current class. Cadets shall serve on the Advisory Committee pursuant to appointment by the Superintendent. Appointments shall be made not later than 60 days after the swearing in of a new class of cadets at the Academy. The term of membership of a cadet on the Advisory Committee shall be one year. The Advisory Committee shall meet with the Commandant not less frequently than once each academic year of the Coast Guard Academy on the duties of the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee shall meet in person with the Superintendent not less frequently than twice each such academic year on the duties of the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee shall identify cultural opportunities and challenges facing women cadets at the Academy, including an assessment of culture, leadership development, access to health care, and overall well-being of women cadets at the Academy. The Advisory Committee may establish one or more advisory groups to assist the Advisory Committee in carrying out its duties, including advisory groups composed in part of cadets at the Academy who are not current members of the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee shall regularly provide the Commandant and the Superintendent reports and briefings on the results of its duties, including recommendations for actions to be taken in light of such results. Such reports and briefings may be provided in writing, in person, or both. The Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall periodically update curriculum and training toward inclusive leadership and positive climate in the Coast Guard, and shall develop a plan to synchronize such updates to respond to the findings of the RAND gender diversity report, delivered at each of the following: Officer accession points, including the Coast Guard Academy and the Leadership Development Center. Enlisted member accession at the United States Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, New Jersey. The officer, enlisted member, and civilian leadership courses managed by the Leadership Development Center. Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall submit to Congress, and make available to the public on an internet website of the Coast Guard available to the public, a report on the implementation of the recommendations of the RAND gender diversity report. The report shall set forth the following: A review and assessment of the status of actions on the recommendations in the RAND gender diversity report. Additional recommendations to improve the recruitment and retention of women in the Coast Guard. A plan (including milestones) for actions being taken by the Coast Guard to implement the recommendations in the RAND gender diversity report and the additional recommendations described in subparagraph (B), including recommendations for such legislative or administrative action as may be required in order to carry out the plan. A plan to launch and maintain an internet website for the sharing of significant policy, benefits, services, and resources, and relevant announcements, in order to centralize resources and tools provided by the Coast Guard, and other resources (as appropriate), to improve gender diversity and retention of women in the Coast Guard. In preparing the report, the Commandant shall consult with the National Coast Guard Women’s Leadership Committee established pursuant to subsection (b). In this section, the term RAND gender 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 .