[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H3329-H3330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RESOLUTION BARRING ELIMINATION OR CUT OF COMMISSARY AND EXCHANGE 
                                SERVICES

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, next month the Contract With America will 
reach its 100-day conclusion. At a time when Congress is acting on this 
contract, I rise to discuss another more enduring and longstanding 
contract with our active and retired members of the Armed Forces. Under 
this contract, the Government has agreed to provide commissary and 
exchange services to active and retired uniformed men and women as a 
form of indirect pay for their service and sacrifice. This contract has 
lasted more than 100 days. In fact, the commissary system dates back to 
1825 when it was provided to service military personnel at remote posts 
where provisions were very expensive. Recent proposals to reduce or 
eliminate commissary and exchange services would jeopardize this 
contract.
  Today I am introducing a concurrent resolution that will send a 
message that any elimination or cut in the commissary and exchange 
systems would be a breach of faith with our active and retired men and 
women in uniform and that if any reduction is enacted, then other forms 
of compensation should be paid to offset this loss.
  The Department of Defense commissary and exchange system are proven 
parts of the military compensation package and contribute significantly 
to the morale and well-being of our men and women in uniform and their 
families. It is critical in retaining experienced members, it is 
valuable in recruiting new members, and reduces expenditures by the 
Federal Government for training and recruiting or for direct 
compensation which would have to be increased in order to maintain the 
same retention rate.
  Commissaries and exchanges are critical in recruiting and retaining 
quality personnel and continue to be highlighted as a valuable aspect 
of military service. Among Armed Forces personnel, commissary 
privileges consistently rank among the top three benefits of military 
service, particularly among married personnel, and is one of the major 
factors in a service member's decision to remain in the armed services. 
The patron base includes 12 million individuals including active duty 
military, military retirees, selected and ready reserves, Medal of 
Honor recipients, 100-percent-disabled veterans, overseas civil 
service, and all their dependents.
  For many of my constituents on Guam and for service men and women 
throughout the Nation, commissaries and exchanges translate into 
indirect pay for military families. A reduction would also translate 
into an erosion for many of quality-of-life facilities available to 
these individuals and their families. Profits from the exchange system 
are used to support many quality-of-life improvements such as the 
operation of youth centers, arts and crafts centers, recreational 
areas, and child development centers. Eliminating this exchange 
dividend would result in reductions in the quality-of-life facilities 
available to our armed services at a time when there have been many 
concerns raised about these issues.
  The resolution that I am introducing today expresses the sense of 
Congress that first, if the commissary and exchange systems of the DOD 
are reduced or eliminated, the funds derived from the reduction or 
elimination should be used to increase other forms of compensation for 
current and retired members of the Armed Forces.
  Second, the resolution states that if exchange stores are reduced or 
eliminated, funds should be provided by the Department of Defense to 
upgrade and avoid the erosion of morale, welfare and recreation 
activities, and other quality-of-life facilities provided to military 
personnel. The resolution ensures that the indirect pay on which 
service men and women rely will not be reduced and that the quality-of-
life improvements on which the current system relies will not be 
eroded.
  Most importantly, this resolution sends the message that a reduction 
in commissary and exchange systems would be a breach of faith in 
current and retired members who have earned this indirect pay through 
years of faithful service.
  Let's make sure that we don't breach the more longstanding contract 
that 
[[Page H3330]] all of us have with active and retired members of the 
Armed Forces. I invite and urge my colleagues to cosponsor this 
important resolution and to join me in support of our men and women in 
uniform.
  Mr. VOLKMER. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. I yield to the gentleman from Missouri.
  Mr. VOLKMER. I would be glad to join with the gentleman in his 
resolution. I know that probably one of the reasons that we see this 
type of resolution coming forward is concern with what is going on as 
far as budgetary cuts that are occurring here in the Congress at this 
time by the majority party; is that correct?
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. That is correct.
  Mr. VOLKMER. We have seen a proposal that we saw in the defense 
rescissions bill that will cut back severely on veterans who have 
served this country in the past, to cut back medical care facilities 
for veterans that was proposed by the majority party; correct?
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. That was correct, in last week's rescission bill. I 
urge all Members to cosponsor this resolution.


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