[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 96 (Monday, June 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3714-S3715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2753. Mr. KENNEDY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2282 submitted by Mr. Inhofe (for himself and Mr. 
McCain) and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 5515, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2019 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 end of subtitle D of title VI, add the following:

     SEC. 633. AUTHORITY FOR CONSOLIDATION OR MERGER OF DEFENSE 
                   COMMISSARY SYSTEM AND EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

       (a) Authority for Consolidation or Merger.--
       (1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 147 of title 10, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

[[Page S3715]]

  


     ``Sec. 2490. Defense commissary system and exchange stores 
       system: consolidation or merger

       ``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     this chapter or any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
     Defense may consolidate or otherwise merge, whether in whole 
     or in part, the operations or administration of the defense 
     commissary system and the exchange stores system if the 
     Secretary determines that the consolidation or merger will 
     reduce the overall cost of operations, administration, or 
     both of the defense commissary system, the exchange stores 
     system, or both systems.
       ``(b) Treatment of Authority.--This section constitutes 
     specific authority for the consolidation or merger of the 
     operations and administration of the defense commissary 
     system and the exchange stores system for purposes of section 
     2487(b) of this title and any other provision of law that 
     prohibits or limits the consolidation or merger of the 
     operations or administration of the systems.''.
       (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of subchapter II of chapter 147 of such title is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``2490. Defense commissary system and exchange stores system: 
              consolidation or merger.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Chapter 147 of title 10, United 
     States Code, is further amended as follows:
       (1) In section 2481(a), by striking ``The Secretary of 
     Defense'' and inserting ``Except as provided in section 2490 
     of this title, the Secretary of Defense''.
       (2) In section 2487(a)(1), by inserting ``and section 2490 
     of this title'' after ``Except as provided in paragraph 
     (2)''.
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