,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ebif ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,july #cj1 #bjad ,mr4 ,takano 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,waxman1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,ms4 ,tsongas1 and ,mr4 ,garamendi7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to require a demonstration program on the accession as ,air ,force officers of candidates with auditory impairments4 #a4 ,demonstration program on accession of candidates with auditory impairments as air force officers 7a7 ,demonstration program required ,beginning not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of the ,air ,force shall carry out a demonstration program to assess the feasibility and advisability of permitting individuals with auditory impairments 7including deafness7 to access as officers of the ,air ,force4 7b7 ,candidates 7#a7 ,number of candidates ,the total number of individuals with auditory impairments who may participate in the demonstration program shall be not fewer than #ae individuals or more than #bj individuals4 7#b7 ,mix and range of auditory impairments ,the individuals who participate in the demonstration program shall include individuals who are deaf and individuals who have a range of other auditory impairments4 7#c7 ,qualification for accession ,any individual who is chosen to participate in the demonstration program shall meet all essential qualifications for accession as an officer in the ,air ,force1 other than those related to having an auditory impairment4 7c7 ,selection of participants 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of the ,air ,force shall-- 7,a7 publicize the demonstration program nationally1 including to individuals who have auditory impairments and would be otherwise qualified for officer training2 7,b7 create a process whereby interested individuals can apply for the demonstration program2 and 7,c7 select the participants for the demonstration program1 from among the pool of applicants1 based on the criteria in subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,no prior service as air force officers ,participants selected for the demonstration program shall be individuals who have not previously served as officers in the ,air ,force4 7d7 ,basic officer training 7#a7 ,in general ,the participants in the demonstration program shall undergo1 at the election of the ,secretary of the ,air ,force1 the ,basic ,officer ,training course or the ,commissioned ,officer ,training course at ,maxwell ,air ,force ,base1 ,alabama4 7#b7 ,number of participants ,once individuals begin participating in the demonstration program1 each ,basic ,officer ,training course or ,commissioned ,officer ,training course at ,maxwell ,air ,force ,base1 ,alabama1 shall include not fewer than #d1 or more than #f1 participants in the demonstration program until all participants have completed such training4 7#c7 ,auxiliary aids and services ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall ensure that participants in the demonstration program have the necessary auxiliary aids and services 7as that term is defined in section #d of the ,americans ,with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abajc77 in order to fully participate in the demonstration program4 7e7 ,coordination 7#a7 ,special advisor ,the ,secretary of the ,air ,force shall designate a special advisor to the demonstration program to act as a resource for participants in the demonstration program1 as well as a liaison between participants in the demonstration program and those providing the officer training4 7#b7 ,qualifications ,the special advisor shall be a member of the ,armed ,forces on active duty-- 7,a7 who-- 7i7 if a commissioned officer1 shall be in grade ,o-#c or higher2 or 7ii7 if an enlisted member1 shall be in grade ,e-#e or higher2 and 7,b7 who is knowledgeable about issues involving1 and accommodations for1 individuals with auditory impairments 7including deafness74 7#c7 ,responsibilities ,the special advisor shall be responsible for facilitating the officer training for participants in the demonstration program1 intervening and resolving issues and accommodations during the training1 and such other duties as the ,secretary of the ,air ,force may assign to facilitate the success of the demonstration program and participants4 7f7 ,report ,not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of the ,air ,force shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report on the demonstration program4 ,the report shall include the following3 7#a7 ,a description of the demonstration program and the participants in the demonstration program4 7#b7 ,the outcome of the demonstration program1 including-- 7,a7 the number of participants in the demonstration program that successfully completed the ,basic ,officer ,training course or the ,commissioned ,officer ,training course2 7,b7 the number of participants in the demonstration program that were recommended for continued military service2 7,c7 the issues that were encountered during the program2 and 7,d7 such recommendation for modifications to the demonstration program as the ,secretary considers appropriate to increase further inclusion of individuals with auditory disabilities serving as officers in the ,air ,force or other ,armed ,forces4 7#c7 ,such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the ,secretary considers appropriate in light of the demonstration program4 7g7 ,appropriate committees of congress defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4