[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 11, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6613-S6614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6475. Mr. REED (for Mr. Warner) submitted an amendment intended to 
be proposed to amendment SA 5499 proposed by Mr. Reed (for himself and 
Mr. Inhofe) to the bill H.R. 7900, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2023 for military activities of the Department of Defense 
and for military construction, and for defense activities of the 
Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
such

[[Page S6614]]

fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the 
table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle E of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 564. FOOD INSECURITY AMONG MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
                   TRANSITIONING OUT OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE.

       (a) Study; Education and Outreach Efforts.--
       (1) Study.--The Secretary of Defense shall, in conjunction 
     with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, conduct a study to 
     identify the means by which members of the Armed Forces are 
     provided information about the availability of Federal 
     nutrition assistance programs as they transition out of 
     active duty service.
       (2) Education and outreach efforts.--The Secretary of 
     Defense, working with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
     shall increase education and outreach efforts to members of 
     the Armed Forces who are transitioning out of active duty 
     service, particularly those members identified as being at-
     risk for food insecurity, to increase awareness of the 
     availability of Federal nutrition assistance programs and 
     eligibility for those programs.
       (3) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall--
       (A) submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate 
     and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
     Representatives a report on the results of the study 
     conducted under paragraph (1); and
       (B) publish such report on the website of the Department of 
     Defense.
       (b) Report on Coordination Among Departments.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in 
     coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
     Secretary of Agriculture, shall submit to each congressional 
     committee with jurisdiction over the Department of Defense, 
     the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of 
     Agriculture a report on the coordination, data sharing, and 
     evaluation efforts on food insecurity across those 
     departments.
       (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following:
       (A) An accounting of the funding each department referred 
     to in paragraph (1) has obligated toward research relating to 
     food insecurity among members of the Armed Forces or 
     veterans.
       (B) An outline of methods of comparing programs and sharing 
     best practices for addressing food insecurity by each such 
     department.
       (C) An outline of--
       (i) the plan each such department has to achieve greater 
     government efficiency and cross-agency coordination, data 
     sharing, and evaluation in addressing food insecurity among 
     members of the Armed Forces; and
       (ii) efforts that the departments can undertake to improve 
     coordination to better address food insecurity as it impacts 
     members before, during, and after their active duty service.
       (D) Any other information the Secretary of Defense, the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or the Secretary of 
     Agriculture determines to be appropriate.
       (c) Government Accountability Office Study.--The 
     Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a 
     study to evaluate the feasibility and advisability of 
     expanding eligibility for the basic needs allowance under 
     section 402b of title 37, United States Code, to individuals 
     during the period following the transition of the individuals 
     out of active duty service, up to three months.
                                 ______