[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 96 (Tuesday, June 16, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4207-S4208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2054. Mr. INHOFE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place insert the following:

     REPORT AND ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL COSTS AND BENEFITS OF 
                   PRIVATIZING DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COMMISSARIES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than February 1, 2016, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
     Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
     report assessing the viability of privatizing, in whole or in 
     part, the Department of Defense commissary system. The report 
     shall be so submitted to Congress before the development of 
     any plans or pilot program to privatize defense commissaries 
     or the defense commissary system.
       (b) Elements.--The assessment required by subsection (a) 
     shall include, at a minimum, the following:
       (1) A methodology for defining the total number and 
     locations of commissaries.
       (2) An evaluation of commissary use by location in the 
     following beneficiary categories:
       (A) Pay grades E-1 through E-4.

[[Page S4208]]

       (B) Pay grades E-5 through E-7.
       (C) Pay grades E-8 and E-9.
       (D) Pay grades O-1 through O-3.
       (E) Pay grades O-4 through O-6.
       (F) Pay grades O-7 through O-10.
       (G) Military retirees.
       (3) An evaluation of commissary use in locations outside 
     the continental United States and in remote and isolated 
     locations in the continental United States when compared with 
     other locations.
       (4) An evaluation of the cost of commissary operations 
     during fiscal years 2009 through 2014.
       (5) An assessment of potential savings and efficiencies to 
     be achieved through implementation of some or all of 
     recommendations of the Military Compensation and Retirement 
     Modernization Commission.
       (6) A description and evaluation of the strategy of the 
     Defense Commissary Agency for pricing products sold at 
     commissaries.
       (7) A description and evaluation of the transportation 
     strategy of the Defense Commissary Agency for products sold 
     at commissaries.
       (8) A description and evaluation of the formula of the 
     Defense Commissary Agency for calculating savings for its 
     customers as a result of its pricing strategy.
       (9) An evaluation of the average savings per household 
     garnered by commissary use.
       (10) A description and evaluation of the use of private 
     contractors and vendors as part of the defense commissary 
     system.
       (11) An assessment of costs or savings, and potential 
     impacts to patrons and the Government, of privatizing the 
     defense commissary system, including potential increased use 
     of Government assistance programs.
       (12) A description and assessment of potential barriers to 
     privatization of the defense commissary system.
       (13) An assessment of the extent to which patron savings 
     would remain after the privatization of the defense 
     commissary system.
       (14) An assessment of the impact of any recommended changes 
     to the operation of the defense commissary system on 
     commissary patrons, including morale and retention.
       (15) An assessment of the actual interest of major grocery 
     retailers in the management and operations of all, or part, 
     of the existing defense commissary system.
       (16) An assessment of the impact of privatization of the 
     defense commissary system on off-installation prices of 
     similar products available in the system.
       (17) An assessment of the impact of privatization of the 
     defense commissary system, and conversion of the Defense 
     Commissary Agency workforce to non-appropriated fund status, 
     on employment of military family members, particularly with 
     respect to pay, benefits, and job security.
       (18) An assessment of the impact of privatization of the 
     defense commissary system on Exchanges and Morale, Welfare 
     and Recreation (MWR) quality-of-life programs.
       (c) Use of Previous Studies.--The Secretary shall consult 
     previous studies and surveys on matters appropriate to the 
     report required by subsection (a), including, but not limited 
     to, the following:
       (1) The January 2015 Final Report of the Military 
     Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission.
       (2) The 2014 Military Family Lifestyle Survey Comprehensive 
     Report.
       (3) The 2013 Living Patterns Survey.
       (4) The report required by section 634 of the Carl Levin 
     and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113-291) on the 
     management, food, and pricing options for the defense 
     commissary system.
       (d) Comptroller General Assessment of Report.--Not later 
     than May 1, 2016, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of 
     the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting 
     forth an assessment by the Comptroller General of the report 
     required by subsection (a).
       Section 652 of this act is null and void.
                                 ______