Two veteran U.S. representatives recently introduced a bill to protect women’s right to serve in combat roles through the creation of gender-neutral standards.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), an Air Force veteran, introduced the bill with Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), a Navy Reserve veteran, introduced the WARRIOR (Women Add Resourcefulness and Resilience to Improve Operational Readiness) Act to prevent any exclusion of women in the armed forces.
“America is the land of the free because we are the home of millions of women who have worn the uniform and answered the call to serve,” said Goodlander. “The WARRIOR Act is about one simple principle: if you can meet the standard, you deserve a fair shot—full stop. This commonsense bill will make our military stronger, our country safer, and ensure every qualified service member is judged by their ability, not their gender.”
Under the proposed bill, “A member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Space Force may not be excluded from an occupational specialty, career field, or assignment on the basis of gender.”
The introduction of the bill comes in response to the Pentagon review of the “effectiveness” of women in combat roles.
The six-month evaluation would require Army and Marine Corps leaders to provide data on the readiness, training, performance, casualties and command climate of ground combat units and personnel, according to NPR.
The proposed legislation would amend outdated law from 1996 and 2006 to ensure that women are judged on their skills, performance and the gender-neutral standards that women in combat are already meeting and exceeding.
Houlahan said that now more than ever, the country should be supporting all servicemembers willing to serve instead of scrutinizing and pushing out qualified women simply because they are women.
“This bill is about strength – the strength of our military standards, the strength of the women who meet them, and the strength of our nation when we enable these women to serve,” said Houlahan.
Others among the 36 cosponsors included military veterans Reps. Derek Tran (D-Calif.).Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.).
Most recent statistics from 2024 show that female service members made up an average of 17.9% of all active-duty military personnel, totaling 227,114 members.
“As a United States Navy veteran and former Under Secretary of Defense, I can say that some of the best individuals I have served with have been women. It is ridiculous that their value to our country in uniform is continuously being questioned by this administration,” said Cisneros. “Over 4,500 women currently serve in combat related roles; no one bent the rules on fitness standards to get them there. They earned it by merit. With the WARRIOR Act, we can ensure that anyone qualified for a military service role is eligible to be considered through fair, holistic evaluation based on their ability, regardless of their gender identity.”
Women were first permitted to be a part of the military from 1917 to 1918 and by 1941 around 400,000 women served in non-combat roles during WWII. In 1994, Defense Secretary Les Aspin announced a policy regarding women in combat that rescinded the 1988 “Risk Rule.” The Risk Rule was a policy that excluded women from non-combat military units if the risk of exposure to direct combat, hostile fire or capture was equal to or greater than the combat units they supported.
It was replaced with a less restrictive ground combat policy, which resulted in 80% of all military positions being open to both men and women.
The WARRIOR Act has been endorsed by the Women in Service Coalition Inc., Vet Voice Foundation, Minority Veterans of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union.
“Since the founding of our nation, women have proudly and honorably served in defense of our country. This commonsense update to gender-neutral occupational standards reflects what we already know to be true: women are a force multiplier across the military,” said Kyleanne Hunter, CEO of IAVA. “As the fastest-growing group of recruits, ensuring women remain eligible to serve in all roles is not only grounded in science—it’s essential to our national security. IAVA is encouraged to see standards that reflect both our nation’s mission and the modern force that serves it.”
