Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
HR6976119th CongressWALLET
Duty Status Reform Act
Sponsored By: Representative Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]
In Committee
Summary
Would reorganize and harmonize reserve and National Guard duty authorities into a single, modern framework. It would create clear duty categories, align who counts as "active duty" for benefits, and set caps, timelines, and reporting rules for mobilizations.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
15 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.
More VA loan access for veterans
If enacted, the bill would make the expanded definition of "veteran" for VA-style home-loan purposes apply to active-duty service performed before, on, or after enactment. This would let some people whose active-duty service previously did not count become eligible for VA home-loan benefits.
More legal protections for Guard members
If enacted, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act would explicitly cover reserve components and full-time National Guard duty. Bankruptcy means-test rules would treat full-time National Guard duty like active duty. The Fair Credit Reporting Act would explicitly cover members on active duty or full-time Guard duty in support of a contingency operation. These changes would extend legal, bankruptcy, and credit protections to more Guard and reserve members.
More health coverage for Guard and veterans
If enacted, TRICARE rules would treat orders to report for full-time National Guard duty like active-duty orders. TRICARE eligibility could begin on the order date, but not earlier than 180 days before the duty begins. The bill would also make full-time Guard duty in support of a contingency operation count for VA benefits and for some Federal Employee Health Benefit rules. Survivors could qualify for death benefits when a person dies while on reserve component duty where the statute is amended to include that duty.
New jobs, training, and pay rules for Guard
If enacted, full-time National Guard duty would count as "active duty" for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act job program rules. The bill would create a National Guard Youth Challenge Program with at least a 22-week residential phase and 12 months of mentoring; federal aid to a State program would be capped at 75 percent of that year's operating costs. Members could enter uniform active-duty agreements up to five years; if released without consent early, a member would get a one-time payment equal to remaining years times one month's basic pay plus special pay and allowances (15-day fractions count as a month), with listed exclusions. The bill would also allow limited payments for assigned courses and let missing-status members be kept on active duty up to 30 days after return to preserve pay and benefits.
Student, FMLA, and education help
If enacted, the bill would expand which Guard and reserve service counts for student aid, Higher Education Act protections, and FMLA deployment leave. Full‑time Guard duty in support of contingency operations and some active‑duty calls would qualify students and borrowers for relief and protections. The bill would also extend Defense Dependents' Education coverage to more dependents under certain full‑time Guard and title‑10 call‑ups.
Farm loan help for deployed farmers
If enacted, the bill would let people on active duty or full-time National Guard duty in support of a contingency operation qualify for certain farm and rural development loan assistance. This expands eligibility for farmers serving under contingency orders.
New training and annual duties
If enacted, Ready Reserve members would generally have to do at least 14 days of active‑duty training each year. They would also need to complete at least 48 training periods each fiscal year or an equivalent. The bill would authorize a one‑day annual muster treated as reserve component duty for many pay purposes, but that muster would not count toward retired‑pay entitlement.
Presidential pause on promotions
If enacted, the President could suspend promotion, retirement, or separation rules for reserve members serving on certain national security active‑duty orders. The suspension would end when the member leaves that duty or when the President ends it. After the suspension ends, a Service Secretary could delay separations or retirements for up to 90 days.
When reserves can be ordered or released
If enacted, the bill would update which authorities let the government order reserve, standby, or retired members to active duty without consent. It would allow ordering some Standby and Retired Reserve members in war, national emergency, or force expansion if enough Ready Reserve members are not available. The bill would also limit when members may be released from active duty during declared wars or emergencies.
New duty categories and pay rules
If enacted, the bill would create new duty categories and change who gets pay, retirement points, and legal protections. Category III and Category IV assignments would generally exclude members from many active‑duty pay and state military justice rules, with limited exceptions. The Secretary may, with a member's consent, award retirement points or pay for approved remote work or courses, and some remote duties could earn an IRR stipend instead of regular pay.
New reserve duty terms and timing
If enacted, the bill would standardize many older duty phrases by treating "inactive duty" and similar terms as "reserve component duty." It would replace "inactive-duty training" with the new term across many laws. The title would normally not take effect until 10 years after enactment, but it could take effect earlier only if three Cabinet-level officials certify readiness and Congress enacts a separate law to move the date.
Sexual‑assault duty continuation option
If enacted, a reserve member who alleges sexual assault that happened while on active or full‑time Guard duty could ask to be ordered to or kept on duty to help a line‑of‑duty decision. The service must decide the initial request within 30 days and give an appeal decision within 15 days. The member must request and consent to this continuation.
Space Force member duty parity
If enacted, several reserve‑duty authorities would explicitly apply to Space Force members. The bill would let Space Force members in certain active or inactive statuses be ordered or retained on active duty with their consent, like other reserve members.
Federal employee and separation protections
If enacted, the bill would update several federal employment rules so full‑time National Guard duty and certain reserve duty count like active duty for Title 5 benefits and protections. It would also expand which orders get statutory separation protections and clarify which duty rules apply to different member types. The bill would update ethics coverage to include some Guard members on full‑time duty.
Guard exercise funding and local help
If enacted, states could set aside money from their field‑instruction allocations to pay Guard exercise costs like pay, food, and travel. The bill would also let Guard units provide certain non‑commercial services to eligible youth and charity groups during required training, if the service does not hurt training or raise costs significantly.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1]
MI • R
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6]
MO • R
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]
WA • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]
NC • R
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17]
IL • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
NE • R
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Rep. Van Epps, Matt [R-TN-7]
TN • R
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Rep. McGuire, John J. [R-VA-5]
VA • R
Sponsored 2/4/2026
Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11]
TX • R
Sponsored 2/4/2026
Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]
MN • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8]
GA • R
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
CT • D
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Rep. Rogers, Harold [R-KY-5]
KY • R
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]
CO • D
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2]
VA • R
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 3/25/2026
Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4]
UT • R
Sponsored 3/25/2026
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8]
MN • R
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
KS • R
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 4/15/2026
Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]
NM • D
Sponsored 4/15/2026
Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8]
CO • R
Sponsored 4/30/2026
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 4/30/2026
Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13]
IL • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3]
MS • R
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]
CO • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]
FL • R
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
NH • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
NC • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/21/2026
Rep. Rose, John W. [R-TN-6]
TN • R
Sponsored 6/9/2026
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/9/2026
Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-FL-21]
FL • R
Sponsored 6/11/2026
Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]
WI • R
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large]
SD • R
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7]
NJ • R
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov