Sponsors (2)
Last progress June 5, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 5, 2025 by Rafael Edward Cruz
Allows eligible service members to serve congressional fellowships through the Department of Defense SkillBridge program in a Member’s personal office, a chamber leadership office, or a congressional committee/subcommittee. Sets rules for approval, qualifications, orientation, notifications, maximum fellowship length of 180 days, and a limited 14-day overlap rule for training/terminal leave.
Redesignate existing paragraphs (3) through (6) of 10 U.S.C. 1143(e) as paragraphs (4) through (7), respectively.
Authorize the Secretary concerned to allow an eligible member of the armed forces to participate in a fellowship under this subsection with (i) the personal office of a Member of Congress, (ii) a leadership office of the Senate or the House of Representatives, or (iii) a committee or subcommittee of Congress.
The Secretary may only authorize a member to participate in a fellowship when the office, committee, or subcommittee in which the member will serve has approved the fellowship.
Ensure that not more than one member of the armed forces participates in a fellowship in any single office, committee, or subcommittee at one time, with an exception allowing a member to begin up to 14 days before another member is scheduled to complete a fellowship in that same office, committee, or subcommittee.
Consult with the commanding officer of an eligible member to ensure the member is appropriately qualified for the fellowship.
Primary affected parties are eligible service members who can now use the SkillBridge program to gain hands-on experience inside congressional offices or committees. This gives transitioning personnel new career-development and networking opportunities related to legislative work, public policy, and government affairs. Congressional offices and committee staffs may host fellows, gaining temporary additional personnel and exposure to military perspectives, and they will need to follow orientation and hosting protocols. The Department of Defense and personnel offices will take on modest administrative duties for approving placements, tracking notifications, and ensuring fellows meet qualification and timing rules. The statutory limits (180 days and the 14-day overlap rule) are designed to reduce scheduling and leave conflicts and to limit program length. The change does not authorize new spending, alter benefits, or require states or localities to take action. Potential issues to monitor include coordination of security and ethics clearances, supervisory responsibilities in congressional settings, and ensuring program placements do not conflict with existing civilian hiring or internship rules.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.