Overview

Title

To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a system whereby an individual denied an appointment to a service academy may elect to have the Secretary share information regarding such individual with a senior military college.

ELI5 AI

The bill wants to create a way for students who didn't get into a military academy to choose if they want their details shared with other special military schools, so they might have a chance to join there instead.

Summary AI

H.R. 9208 instructs the Secretary of Defense to create a system that allows people who were not accepted into a service academy to choose to share their information with senior military colleges. The aim is to improve military recruitment by providing these colleges with access to candidates who were denied entry into service academies. This plan must be put into action within 180 days of the bill becoming law.

Published

2024-07-30
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: Introduced in House
Date: 2024-07-30
Package ID: BILLS-118hr9208ih

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
332
Pages:
2
Sentences:
13

Language

Nouns: 104
Verbs: 35
Adjectives: 17
Adverbs: 1
Numbers: 13
Entities: 27

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.41
Average Sentence Length:
25.54
Token Entropy:
4.58
Readability (ARI):
15.70

AnalysisAI

General Summary

The bill titled the "Improving Military Recruitment at Senior Military Colleges Act" mandates the Secretary of Defense to create a system that allows applicants who were denied entry to a Service Academy to choose to have their information shared with senior military colleges. This would potentially open new opportunities for these individuals at institutions that are recognized as senior military colleges under U.S. law. The bill establishes a timeline of 180 days post-enactment for the Secretary to implement this system.

Summary of Significant Issues

One primary issue with the bill is the lack of clarity regarding how individuals would consent to share their information. Without clear procedures for obtaining and managing consent, there could be concerns about the privacy rights of the applicants. Additionally, while the bill references provisions within the U.S. Code to define terms like "senior military college," it does not elaborate on these definitions within its text, potentially leading to misunderstandings by those unfamiliar with legal references.

Another significant concern is the absence of specified mechanisms for sharing information between the Department of Defense and senior military colleges. Without clear guidelines, there could be inconsistencies in how the process is carried out, which might lead to discrepancies in the handling of personal information.

Moreover, the bill does not outline the safeguards necessary to protect the sensitive information of applicants. This omission could expose potential breaches of privacy, raising legal and ethical issues.

Impact on the Public

For the general public, notably young individuals aspiring to have a military career, this bill could provide additional pathways to achieve their goals even if initially denied by service academies. It might encourage more individuals to apply, knowing there are other potential avenues for military education and training.

For families and educators, understanding the expanded opportunities for potential military leaders might increase support for students applying to these programs. However, concerns about privacy and data handling could be a deterrent for some, depending on how well the implementation addresses these issues.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

Potentially, denied applicants could benefit positively from this bill by gaining access to institutions recognized for their military training, but this benefit hinges on a clear and transparent consent process.

Senior military colleges might see an increase in students who are committed and prepared for a military-focused education but might also face challenges related to integrating potentially sensitive data into their admissions processes.

The Department of Defense would need to allocate resources and enhance existing systems to manage this new aspect of applicant information sharing. This requirement could have budgetary and logistical impacts but might also strengthen relationships with senior military colleges, promoting a more unified approach to military education. Overall, while the bill aims to broaden opportunities, the implementation details will critically determine the breadth and success of its impact.

Issues

  • The bill lacks clarity and specificity on the consent process for 'covered individuals' to share their information, which could lead to legal and ethical concerns regarding privacy and willingness of individuals to participate. (Section 2)

  • There is an absence of guidelines or mechanisms for how the information sharing between the Secretary of Defense and senior military colleges will be conducted, which could result in inconsistent implementation and potential mishandling of sensitive information. (Section 2)

  • The bill does not provide sufficient detail on the safeguards that will be instituted to protect the privacy and sensitive information of 'covered individuals', potentially leading to legal and ethical issues. (Section 2)

  • The definition of 'senior military college' relies on external U.S. Code without a direct explanation in the bill, which could lead to confusion and misinterpretation by stakeholders unfamiliar with the cited sections. (Section 2)

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The “Improving Military Recruitment at Senior Military Colleges Act” is the name by which this legislation may be officially referred to.

2. Service Academies: referral of denied applicants to the senior military colleges Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to set up a system within 180 days where information about individuals denied entry to a Service Academy can be shared with senior military colleges if those individuals choose to do so. It defines key terms such as "covered individual" and specifies what "senior military college" and "Service Academy" refer to according to the United States Code.