H.R. 6586

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6586 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6586

To authorize the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program to 
assess the efficacy of providing junior enlisted members of the Armed 
Forces a monthly coupon for use in procuring food at commissaries.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 10, 2025

Mr. Panetta introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program to 
assess the efficacy of providing junior enlisted members of the Armed 
Forces a monthly coupon for use in procuring food at commissaries.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) members of the Armed Forces and their families deserve 
access to affordable and healthy food options, including during 
their duty day;
(2) there has been increased awareness about the challenges 
members and their families face in accessing affordable and 
healthy food options;
(3) those challenges have been especially acute for 
unaccompanied junior enlisted members who live in government-
provided quarters on military installations; and
(4) the Department of Defense should explore a variety of 
proposals for expanding the accessibility of healthy and 
affordable food options to members, especially members who live 
in unaccompanied housing on military installations.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE COUPONS TO JUNIOR ENLISTED MEMBERS TO 
PURCHASE FOOD AT COMMISSARIES.

(a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Defense may conduct a pilot 
program to assess the efficacy of providing junior enlisted members of 
the Armed Forces a monthly coupon for use in procuring food at 
commissaries.
(b) Selection of Installations.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may conduct the pilot 
program authorized by subsection (a) at 2 military 
installations.
(2) Considerations.--In selecting installations for the 
pilot program authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
consider installations with--
(A) large numbers of enlisted members who live in 
unaccompanied housing;
(B) the largest ratios of enlisted members to 
commissioned officers;
(C) unaccompanied housing that provides access to 
functioning kitchens that residents may use to prepare 
meals;
(D) commissaries that are experimenting with or 
expanding their selection of nutritious and minimally 
processed ready-made and easy-to-make food options;
(E) low rates of attendance at dining facilities;
(F) low customer satisfaction ratings for dining 
facilities, including installations with complaints 
about dining facilities submitted through the 
Interactive Customer Evaluation system of the 
Department of Defense; and
(G) commissaries located within easily accessible 
distances from unaccompanied housing.
(c) Coupons.--
(1) Amount.--The Secretary may determine the amount of the 
coupons to be provided under the pilot program authorized by 
subsection (a).
(2) Use for food at commissaries required.--A coupon 
provided under the pilot program authorized by subsection (a) 
may be used only to purchase food at commissaries.
(3) Prohibited uses.--A coupon provided under the pilot 
program authorized by subsection (a) may not be used to--
(A) purchase alcoholic beverages or tobacco; or
(B) pay any deposit fee in excess of the amount of 
the State fee reimbursement (if any) required to 
purchase any food or food product contained in a 
returnable bottle or can, without regard to whether the 
fee is included in the shelf price posted for the food 
or food product.
(4) Supplement to other food assistance.--A coupon provided 
to a member under the pilot program authorized by subsection 
(a) shall supplement and not supplant--
(A) the basic allowance for subsistence under 
section 402 of title 37, United States Code; and
(B) any program to provide meals or rations in kind 
for which the member is eligible.
(d) Duration of Pilot Program.--The pilot program authorized by 
subsection (a) shall terminate not later than one year after the date 
on which the pilot program commences.
(e) Report Required.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
termination under subsection (d) of the pilot program 
authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
detailing the results of the pilot program.
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
include an assessment of the following:
(A) The use of coupons by members who received 
coupons under the pilot program.
(B) The satisfaction of and feedback from such 
members relating to the coupons.
(C) The impact of providing the coupons on--
(i) the rates at which such members used 
commissaries; and
(ii) the rates at which such members used 
dining facilities on their installations.
(D) Historical rates of use of dining facilities on 
installations and historical customer satisfaction 
metrics for such facilities, including the number of 
complaints with respect to such facilities submitted 
through the Interactive Customer Evaluation system of 
the Department of Defense.
(E) The efficacy of the pilot program in--
(i) reducing food insecurity rates among 
junior enlisted members;
(ii) increasing the availability of 
nutritious food options for such members at 
commissaries; and
(iii) increasing the availability of 
nutritious food options for such members 
generally, including such members living in 
unaccompanied housing.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Congressional defense committees.--The term 
``congressional defense committees'' has the meaning given the 
term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
(2) Coupon.--The term ``coupon'' means a voucher or 
monetary benefit for a member of the Armed Forces that may be 
used only at a commissary for the purchase of food.
(3) Food.--The term ``food'' means any food or food product 
intended for home consumption, including a ready-made food 
item.
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