[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4936-S4937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2597. Mr. WARNER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 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 in subtitle E of title V, insert 
     the following:

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

       (a) Study; Education and Outreach Efforts.--

[[Page S4937]]

       (1) Study.--The Secretary of Defense shall, in conjunction 
     with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and other Federal 
     officials, as appropriate, 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 and 
     other Federal officials, as appropriate, 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 one year 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) Working Group.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense, in consultation 
     with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of 
     Agriculture, shall establish a working group to address, 
     across the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs, and the Department of Agriculture, coordination, 
     data sharing, and evaluation efforts on underlying factors 
     contributing to food insecurity among members of the Armed 
     Forces transitioning out of active duty service (in this 
     subsection referred to as the ``working group'').
       (2) Membership.--The working group be composed of--
       (A) representatives from the Department of Defense, the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of 
     Agriculture;
       (B) other relevant Federal officials, including those 
     connected to veteran transition programs; and
       (C) other relevant stakeholders as determined by the 
     Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and 
     the Secretary of Agriculture.
       (3) Report.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the working group 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 described 
     in paragraph (1).
       (B) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following:
       (i) An accounting of the funding each department referred 
     to in subparagraph (A) has obligated toward research relating 
     to food insecurity among members of the Armed Forces or 
     veterans.
       (ii) An outline of methods of comparing programs and 
     sharing best practices for addressing food insecurity by each 
     such department.
       (iii) 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 transitioning out of the Armed Forces; and
       (II) efforts that the departments can undertake to improve 
     coordination to better address food insecurity as it impacts 
     members during and after their active duty service.

       (iv) An identification of--

       (I) any legal, technological, or administrative barriers to 
     increased coordination and data sharing in addressing food 
     insecurity among members transitioning out of the Armed 
     Forces; and
       (II) any additional authorities needed to increase such 
     coordination and data sharing.

       (v) Any other information the Secretary of Defense, the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or the Secretary of 
     Agriculture determines to be appropriate.
                                 ______