Sec. 549C. INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE ARMED FORCES
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## SEC. 549C INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE ARMED FORCES ###
(a)Analysis and Recommendations ####
(1)In general The Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into a contract or other agreement with an appropriate entity in the private sector (including a Federally funded research and development center) for the conduct of an analysis and the development of recommendations on means to improve the effectiveness of the covered Armed Forces in responding to and preventing domestic violence. ####
(2)Expertise The entity with which the Secretary enters into a contract or agreement pursuant to this section shall have expertise in— #####
(A)scientific and other research relating to domestic violence; and #####
(B)science-based strategies for the prevention, intervention, and response to domestic violence. ###
(b)Scope of Analysis and Recommendations Under the contract or agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (a), the entity concerned shall analyze and develop recommendations for the Secretary with respect to each of the following: ####
(1)The risk of domestic violence at various stages of military service, including identification of— #####
(A)stages at which there is a higher than average risk of domestic violence; and #####
(B)stages at which the implementation of domestic violence prevention strategies may have the greatest preventive effect. ####
(2)The use and dissemination of domestic violence prevention resources throughout the stages of military service, including providing new members with training in domestic violence prevention. ####
(3)Best practices for the targeting of domestic violence prevention resources toward those with a higher risk of domestic violence. ####
(4)Strategies to prevent domestic violence by training, educating, and assigning prevention-related responsibilities to— #####
(A)commanders; #####
(B)medical, behavioral, and mental health service providers; #####
(C)family advocacy program representatives; #####
(D)Military Family Life Consultants; and #####
(E)other individuals and entities with responsibilities that may be relevant to addressing domestic violence. ####
(5)The efficacy of providing survivors of domestic violence with the option to request expedited transfers, and the effects of such transfers. ####
(6)Improvements to procedures for reporting appropriate legal actions to the National Crime Information Center, and the efficacy of such procedures. ####
(7)The effects of domestic violence on— #####
(A)housing for military families; #####
(B)the education of military dependent children; #####
(C)member work assignments and careers; and #####
(D)the health of members and their families, including short-term and long-term health effects and effects on mental health. ####
(8)Age-appropriate training and education programs for students attending schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity that are designed to assist such students in learning positive relationship behaviors in families and with intimate partners. ####
(9)The potential effects of requiring military protective orders to be issued by a military judge, including whether such a requirement would increase the enforcement of military protective orders by civilian law enforcement agencies outside the boundaries of military installations. ####
(10)Whether prevention of domestic violence would be enhanced by raising the disposition authority for offenses of domestic violence to an officer who is— #####
(A)in grade 0-6 or above; #####
(B)in the chain of command of the accused; and #####
(C)authorized by chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice), to convene special courts martial. ####
(11)Means of improving access to resources for survivors of domestic violence throughout the stages of military service. ####
(12)Any other matters the Secretary specifies in the contract or agreement with respect to— #####
(A)decreasing the frequency of domestic violence committed by or upon members of the covered Armed Forces and their dependents; and #####
(B)reducing the severity of such violence. ###
(c)Access to Information and Facilities The Secretary shall provide the entity with which the Secretary contracts or enters into an agreement pursuant to subsection
(a)such access to information and facilities of the Department of Defense as the Secretary and the entity jointly consider appropriate for the analysis and development of recommendations required by the contract. ###
(d)Report to Secretary of Defense ####
(1)In general The contract or agreement pursuant to subsection
(a)shall require the entity with which the Secretary contracts or enters into agreement to submit to the Secretary a report on the analysis conducted and recommendations developed by the entity under the contract or agreement by not later than one year after the date of entry into the contract or agreement. ####
(2)Elements The report required pursuant to paragraph
(1)shall include the following: #####
(A)A comprehensive description of the analysis conducted by the entity concerned under the contract or agreement. #####
(B)A list of the recommendations developed by the entity, including, for each such recommendation, a justification for such recommendation. #####
(C)Such other matters as the Secretary shall specify in the contract or agreement. ###
(e)Report to Congress ####
(1)In general Not later than 180 days after receipt of the report required pursuant to subsection (d), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on means to improve the effectiveness of the covered Armed Forces in responding to and preventing domestic violence. ####
(2)Elements The report required by paragraph
(1)shall include the following: #####
(A)The report received by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (d). #####
(B)For each recommendation included in the report pursuant to subsection
(d)by reason of paragraph (2)(B) of that subsection— ######
(i)an assessment by the Secretary of the feasibility and advisability of implementing such recommendation; and ######
(ii)if the Secretary considers the implementation of such recommendation feasible and advisable, a description of the actions taken, or to be taken, to implement such recommendation. #####
(C)Such other matters relating to the improvement of the effectiveness of the covered Armed Forces in responding to and preventing domestic violence as the Secretary considers appropriate in light of the report pursuant to subsection (d). ###
(f)Funding Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2021 for the Department of Defense by section 301 and available for operation and maintenance, Defense wide, as specified in the funding table in section 4301, $1,000,000 shall be available for contract or agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (a). ###
(g)Covered Armed Forces Defined In this section, the term “covered Armed Forces” means the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Marine Corps. ## Subtitle F Diversity and Inclusion