[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6656. Mr. WARNOCK (for himself and Mr. Moran) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 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 C of title VI, add the following:

     SEC. 624. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE COUPONS TO JUNIOR ENLISTED 
                   MEMBERS TO PURCHASE FOOD AT COMMISSARIES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense may conduct a 
     pilot program to assess the efficacy of providing junior 
     enlisted members of the Armed Forces a monthly coupon for use 
     in procuring food at commissaries.
       (b) Selection of Installations.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may conduct the pilot 
     program authorized by subsection (a) at 2 military 
     installations.
       (2) Considerations.--In selecting installations for the 
     pilot program authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary 
     shall consider installations with--
       (A) large numbers of enlisted members who live in 
     unaccompanied housing;
       (B) the largest ratios of enlisted members to commissioned 
     officers;
       (C) unaccompanied housing that provides access to 
     functioning kitchens that residents may use to prepare meals;
       (D) commissaries that are experimenting with or expanding 
     their selection of nutritious and minimally processed ready-
     made and easy-to-make food options;
       (E) low rates of attendance at dining facilities;
       (F) low customer satisfaction ratings for dining 
     facilities, including installations with complaints about 
     dining facilities submitted through the Interactive Customer 
     Evaluation system of the Department of Defense; and
       (G) commissaries located within easily accessible distances 
     from unaccompanied housing.
       (c) Coupons.--
       (1) Amount.--The Secretary may determine the amount of the 
     coupons to be provided under the pilot program authorized by 
     subsection (a).
       (2) Use.--
       (A) In general.--A coupon provided under the pilot program 
     authorized by subsection (a) may be used only to purchase 
     food at commissaries.
       (B) Exclusions.--A coupon provided under the pilot program 
     authorized by subsection (a) may not be used--
       (i) to purchase alcoholic beverages or tobacco; or
       (ii) to pay any deposit fee in excess of the amount of the 
     State fee reimbursement (if any) required to purchase any 
     food or food product contained in a returnable bottle or can, 
     without regard to whether the fee is included in the shelf 
     price posted for the food or food product.
       (3) Supplement to other food assistance.--A coupon provided 
     to a member under the pilot program authorized by subsection 
     (a) shall be supplement and not supplant--
       (A) the basic allowance for subsistence under section 402 
     of title 37, United States Code; and
       (B) any program to provide meals or rations in kind for 
     which the member is eligible.
       (d) Duration of Pilot Program.--The pilot program 
     authorized by subsection (a) shall terminate not later than 
     one year after the pilot program commences.
       (e) Report Required.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     termination under subsection (d) of the pilot program 
     authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
     detailing the results of the pilot program.
       (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include an assessment of the following:
       (A) The use of coupons by members who received coupons 
     under the pilot program.
       (B) The satisfaction of and feedback from such members 
     relating to the coupons.
       (C) The impact of providing the coupons on--
       (i) the rates at which such members used commissaries; and
       (ii) the rates at which such members used dining facilities 
     on their installations.
       (D) Historical rates of use of dining facilities on 
     installations and historical customer satisfaction metrics 
     for such facilities, including the number of complaints with 
     respect to such facilities submitted through the Interactive 
     Customer Evaluation system of the Department of Defense.
       (E) The efficacy of the pilot program in--
       (i) reducing food insecurity rates among junior enlisted 
     members;
       (ii) increasing the availability of nutritious food options 
     for such members at commissaries; and
       (iii) increasing the availability of nutritious food 
     options for such members generally, including such members 
     living in unaccompanied housing.
       (f) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Coupon.--The term ``coupon'' means a voucher or 
     monetary benefit for a member of the Armed Forces that may be 
     used only at a commissary for the purchase of food.
       (2) Food.--The term ``food'' means any food or food product 
     intended for home consumption, including a ready-made food 
     item.
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