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H.R. 4991: PROTECT Act

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H.R. 4991: PROTECT Act

114th Congress · introduced 2016-04-18 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2016-04-18 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

PROTECT Act

Plain summary

Prevent Retaliation and Open up Transparency to Expand Care for Troops Act of 2016 or the PROTECT Act This bill amends the Uniform Code of Military Justice to establish the offense of retaliation. Retaliation provisions require that any person subject to the code who, with the intent to retaliate against any person for reporting or planning to report a criminal offense, or with the intent to discourage any person from reporting a criminal offense, wrongfully takes or threatens to take an adverse personnel action against any person, or wrongfully withholds or threatens to withhold a favorable personnel action with respect to any person, shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. The Department of Defense (DOD) shall prescribe uniform standards for conduct of each of the following functions at all stages of the military justice system, including pretrial, trial, post-trial, and appellate processes: collection and analysis of data concerning substantive offenses and procedural matters in a manner that facilitates case management and decision making and enhances the quality of periodic reviews; case processing and management; timely and accurate production and distribution of trial records; and facilitation of access to docket information, filings, and records. Each military department shall ensure that any individual investigating an allegation of retaliation against a person who has made a protected communication must have training in the definition and characteristics of retaliation. If the investigation involves alleged retaliation in response to a communication regarding rape, sexual assault, or other sexual misconduct, the training shall include specific instruction regarding such violations. It is the sense of Congress that DOD should ensure that its medical and mental health providers are adequately trained to meet the needs of male survivors of military sexual trauma.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

PROTECT Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] · 12 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

John Garamendi (D-CA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Mark Takano (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] reported raising $1.3 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-hr4991 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114