DHS Better Ballistic Body Armor Act

Government Operations and Politics
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Introduced on May 9, 2024 by Gary C. Peters

Cosponsors

Legislation Details

  • The legislation aims to improve the effectiveness of body armor for female agents and officers of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
  • Key definitions provided include “ballistic resistant body armor,” “Department” referring to DHS, and “Secretary” referring to the Secretary of Homeland Security.
  • The Secretary of DHS is required to ensure that when procuring body armor for individuals with body shapes most closely associated with females, the armor must:
    • Be specifically designed for female body shapes.
    • Conform to the individual wearer for the best fit and coverage, including options for flat or shaped front panels.
    • Be assessed and verified for proper fit and coverage upon delivery, adhering to ASTM International standards.
    • Incorporate advanced fit and technology to prevent bullets from deflecting upward into the throat or spinal cord.
    • Be certified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and listed on the NIJ Compliant Products List, passing all relevant ballistic resistant standards, including gender-specific testing.
  • Annual reports for three years post-enactment are required from the heads of relevant DHS component agencies, detailing:
    • The number of female agents and officers issued ballistic resistant body armor.
    • The number of units discontinued due to noncompliance.
    • The number of compliant units issued.
    • The percentage of female agents and officers regularly using compliant body armor, broken down by duty station.
  • An aggregate report of all component agency reports must be submitted by the Secretary to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Homeland Security within 30 days of receiving component reports.
  • Within three years of enactment, all DHS agents and officers with body shapes most closely associated with females must be issued body armor that meets the specified requirements.

Last updated 10/10/2024