Rep. Golding of Maine Introduces NNDA Amendment Relating to Optional Combat Boots

AMENDMENT TO H.R. 8800 OFFERED BY MR. GOLDEN OF MAINE

"At the appropriate place in title III, insert the following:

"SEC. ___. REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO WEARING OPTIONAL COMBAT BOOTS.

"(a) IN GENERAL. — Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue regulations to prohibit any member of a covered Armed Force from wearing optional combat boots as part of a required uniform unless the optional combat boots are entirely manufactured in the United States and entirely made of —

"(1) materials grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States; and

"(2) components that are manufactured entirely in the United States and entirely made of materials described in paragraph (1).

"(b) WAIVER. — The requirements of subsection (a) may be waived if a member of a covered Armed Force provides a medical justification authorized by the commanding officer of such member to wear optional combat boots as part of a required uniform.

"(c) EXCEPTION. — The requirements of subsection (a) shall not apply to a member of a covered Armed Force within a combat arms military occupational specialty who is in a deployed status.

"(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

"(1) The term ‘‘covered Armed Force’’ means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Space Force.

"(2) The term ‘‘optional combat boots’’, with respect to a member of a covered Armed Force, means combat boots not furnished to such member of a covered Armed Forces by the Secretary of Defense.

"(3) The term ‘‘required uniform’’ means a uniform a member of a covered Armed Force is required to wear as a member of a covered Armed Force."