Bill > HR6586

This bill authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program, lasting no more than one year, to test the effectiveness of giving junior enlisted members of the Armed Forces a monthly coupon to buy food at commissaries, which are stores on military bases that sell groceries. The program would be conducted at two military installations chosen based on factors like the number of junior enlisted members living in unaccompanied housing (which refers to housing for single service members), the availability of kitchens, and the quality and accessibility of food options at the installation's commissary and dining facilities. The coupons can only be used for food intended for home consumption and cannot be used for alcohol, tobacco, or certain bottle deposits, and they are meant to supplement, not replace, existing food allowances or meal programs. After the program ends, the Secretary of Defense must report to Congress on its impact, including how the coupons were used, member satisfaction, changes in commissary and dining facility usage, and whether the program helped reduce food insecurity and improve access to nutritious food for junior enlisted members.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6586/all-info