H.R. 5300: To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a tiger team to perform outreach regarding the process by which a member of the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis of sexual orientation, may apply for review of the characterization of such discharge.

H.R. 5300: To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a tiger team to perform outreach regarding the process by which a member of the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis of sexual orientation, may apply for review of the characterization of such discharge.

117th Congress · introduced 2021-09-20 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-09-20 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a tiger team to perform outreach regarding the process by which a member of the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis of sexual orientation, may apply for review of the characterization of such discharge.

Plain summary

This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct outreach to build awareness among former members of the Armed Forces of the process established for the review of discharge characterizations related to sexual orientation (i.e., on the basis of Don't Ask, Don't Tell or a similar policy). DOD must also provide for specified relief for former members of the Armed Forces who were impacted by the discharge characterizations and ensure that DOD oral historians review related facts and receive testimony from affected individuals.

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

To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a tiger team to perform outreach regarding the process by which a member of the Armed Forces, discharged on the basis of sexual orientation, may apply for review of the characterization of such discharge.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] · 103 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), André Carson (D-IN), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jim Costa (D-CA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (D-IL), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Joseph D. Morelle (D-NY), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL) and 43 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2] reported raising $1.0 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

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117hr5300.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/hr>

Record fed-us-cong117-hr5300 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117