The WARRIOR Act makes several changes to how the Department of Defense operates, with a focus on military recruitment, retention, and training. The bill prohibits the military from considering race, ethnicity, color, national origin, or gender when making decisions about who gets hired, assigned to positions, selected for advancement, or promoted. It also blocks the military from teaching that people should bear responsibility for historical actions based on their race or ethnicity, and prevents the military from investigating extremism within its ranks.

The bill requires the military to create physical fitness standards that don't differ based on gender, meaning men and women would need to meet the same physical requirements. It also significantly limits diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) positions within the Department of Defense by freezing the current number of DEI employees and only allowing the military to hire one new DEI employee for every 2,000 new service members who join.

Additionally, the bill addresses military academies and COVID-19 vaccination policies. Military academies would be restricted from hiring outside instructors unless no active military members or civilian DOD employees can do the job. The bill also requires the Department of Defense to create a new position—a Director of COVID Policy—to handle cases of military members who were forced to leave the military solely because they refused the COVID-19 vaccine, potentially allowing them to be reinstated or compensated. Finally, the military must provide Congress with detailed cost-benefit analyses before spending federal money on environmental projects.

WARRIOR Act

Waltz, Michael

Working to Address Recruiting and Retention to Improve Our Readiness Act or the WARRIOR Act This bill addresses the funding of certain Department of Defense (DOD) activities as well as certain personnel and training matters. The bill prohibits the use of federal funds to (1) take into consideration race, ethnicity, color, national origin, or gender of an individual when making a determination regarding a military accession, assignment, selection, or promotion; (2) promote at the service academies, in military training, or in professional military education the theory that individuals, by virtue of race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, bear collective responsibility for actions committed in the past by individuals of such race, ethnicity, color, or national origin; or (3) investigate extremism in the Armed Forces or DOD. The bill also requires the military departments to establish gender-neutral physical readiness standards. DOD must freeze the number of civilian employees who perform tasks related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). DOD may hire only one DEI employee for every 2,000 members who join the Armed Forces. The service academies may not employ as instructors individuals who are not members of the Armed Forces or civilian DOD employees unless no member or DOD employee may be adequately trained for such purpose. DOD must appoint a Director of COVID Policy to determine and implement actions regarding members of the Armed Forces who are involuntarily separated solely on the basis of refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. DOD must submit a cost-benefit analysis and certain certifications to Congress in order to use federal funds for environmental projects.