Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Defense Language Continuing Education Act of 2021”.
Defense Language Continuing Education Act of 2021
A BILL
To direct the Department of Defense to establish policies and procedures for providing continuing language education to military linguists, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Defense language continuing education program
In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall establish policies and procedures to provide, to linguists of the covered Armed Forces who have made the transition from formal training programs to operational and staff assignments, continuing language education to maintain their respective language proficiencies.
Reimbursement authority—
In general— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary, in coordination with the chief of each covered Armed Force, shall establish a procedure by which the covered Armed Force concerned may reimburse an organization of the Department of Defense that provides, to members of such covered Armed Force, continuing language education, described in subsection (a), for the costs of such education.
Sunset— The authority under this subsection shall expire on September 30, 2025.
Briefing— Not later than July 1, 2022, the Under Secretary shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives on implementation of this section and plans regarding continuing language education described in subsection (a).
Covered armed force defined— In this section, the term covered Armed Force means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force.