WASHINGTON, D.C – Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), with Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), led the bicameral introduction of  the Military Officer Promotion Integrity Act to protect qualified military officers from being arbitrarily removed from promotion consideration for ideological or political reasons, by establishing clear standards, basic due process, and meaningful independent review.

“For the last year and a half, Secretary Hegseth has systematically damaged and undermined the previously unbiased military promotion system, and he has done so under the nose of the President, who reportedly has little to no awareness of Secretary Hegseth’s destructive purge of our military talent and leadership,” said Rep. Houlahan. “Today, we ensure that at least Congress will know when the Secretary tries to strike exceptionally qualified military officers from promotion slates – and we can take action to stop the removal. Once again, fairness, transparency, and objectivity will determine which officer has earned their next rank, and not their allegiance to the political whims of Secretary Hegseth.”


“Secretary Hegseth continues to deny promotions to our most qualified military officials,” said Rep. Strickland. “This bill allows Congress to intervene when a military official is denied or slated to be removed from a rightfully earned promotion.”

“Ironically, no one spends more time obsessing over gender and race than Secretary Hegseth, who is relentlessly blocking promotions and purging the military ranks of women, minorities, and anyone who fails to watch as much Fox News as he does,” said Rep. Blumenthal. “If Secretary Hegseth is really committed to meritocracy, he should fully support this legislation to prevent political meddling in military promotions. His disgraceful promotions decisions are only one piece of a much broader and deeply dangerous effort to politicize our military and undermine its proud tradition of nonpartisan service.”

The legislation is co-sponsored in the Senate by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI). The bill is endorsed by VoteVets, Protect Democracy, the National Women’s Law Clinic (NWLC), and Retired Major General Steve Lepper, co-founder of the Former JAG Working Group.

“Military officers earn their promotions through years of service, sacrifice, and proven leadership. Pulling them from consideration because of politics not only derails careers, but it tells every officer and every American that fealty matters more than competence. Most important is our oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The Military Officer Promotion Integrity Act makes sure that these decisions rest only on facts. VoteVets applauds Senator Blumenthal’s leadership and we call on Congress to pass this critical bill without delay,” said Retired Major General Paul Eaton, VoteVets Senior Advisor.

“A nonpartisan, merit-based military promotion system is crucial to military readiness. It ensures our senior ranks are filled by officers who have demonstrated the expertise and leadership that our readiness depends on. This legislation strengthens the promotion process, reinforces our operational edge, and sustains the confidence of the American people in their military,” said Zachary West with Protect Democracy.

“Our country and our nation’s service members deserve a promotion system that is based on merit and leadership skills—not one that can be abused to single out and block individuals because of their sex, race or support for diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Gaylynn Burrough, vice president for education and workplace justice at the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund.  “Pete Hegseth’s unprecedented and outrageous interference in the promotions of women and people of color in the military is an affront to our nation’s ideals of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity and shows his willingness to put ideology over national security. We are grateful that Senator Blumenthal is taking action to address these senseless actions through Military Officer Promotion Integrity Act of 2026.”


“The United States military’s decisive advantage has always been the quality of its leaders. That’s why the officer promotion processes of each Service are so important. In recent months, individual officers selected for promotion based on their skills, experience, and leadership potential have been removed without explanation by individual senior leaders.  Not only are such removals unfair to the removed officers, they undermine the confidence all officers must have in a system so crucial to their career progression and to America’s national security,” said Retired Major General Steve Lepper, co-founder of the Former JAG Working Group. “Senator Blumenthal’s legislation addresses these concerns by establishing minimum fairness standards whenever an officer is removed from a promotion list.  If enacted, these standards will provide removed officers opportunities to challenge their removal and will subject the process to necessary congressional oversight.  If enacted, this legislation will hopefully restore the fairness, transparency, and confidence needed to ensure America’s military preserves its competitive leadership advantage.”     


The full text of the bill is available here.

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