S.Amdt. 3147

SA 3147. Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed by her to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for
fiscal year 2026 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 part II of subtitle F of title V, add the
following:

SEC. 562. MILITARY FAMILY FOOD SECURITY TASK FORCE.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall
establish a Military Family Food Security Task Force (in this
section referred to as the ``Task Force'') to address food
insecurity among members of the Armed Forces and their
families, living both on and off military installations.
(b) Goals.--The goals of the Task Force shall be--
(1) to improve access to nutritious food for members of the
Armed Forces and their families;
(2) to identify gaps in existing food assistance programs
affecting military families and propose scalable solutions;
and
(3) to develop initiatives to ensure sustainable food
security for military families.
(c) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Task Force shall be made up of
representatives of the following:
(A) The Department of Defense.
(B) Nonprofit organizations specializing in food insecurity
and veterans' services.
(C) Experts in nutrition, public health, and social
services.
(2) Chairperson.--An appropriate official of the Department
of Defense shall be the chairperson of the Task Force.
(d) Assessments.--The Task Force shall assess--
(1) existing programs designed to combat food insecurity
for military families, including the supplemental nutrition
assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), food banks, and military
family assistance programs;
(2) barriers to access to those programs for military
families, such as location, eligibility issues, or the
deployment schedules of members of the Armed Forces;
(3) the availability of nutritious food options on or near
military installations, including options available through
commissaries;
(4) ways to improve access for military families to fresh
produce, lean proteins, and healthy meals, including through
food voucher programs or discounts for military families; and
(5) options for partnerships with local farmers, food
suppliers, and community-based programs to create accessible
food distribution channels for military families.
(e) Recommendations.--The Task Force shall develop
recommendations for innovative solutions to combat food
insecurity among military families, including by--
(1) introducing mobile food pantries on military
installations and in military housing areas;
(2) creating food voucher programs or discounts for
military families to access fresh food;
(3) strengthening partnerships with local food banks to
improve food distribution; and
(4) implantation of public-private partnerships with
corporate food services with the goal of providing healthy
food alternatives at a subsidized price level.
(f) Data Collection and Use.--The Task Force shall--
(1) collect data on food insecurity among military
families; and
(2) establish a data-driven framework for evaluating food
access issues, which shall be used to prioritize areas of
need and track the impact of implemented solutions.
(g) Reports Required.--
(1) First report.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall submit to
the congressional defense committees a report that includes--
(A) the results of the assessments conducted under
subsection (d); and
(B) the recommendations developed under subsection (e).
(2) Subsequent reports.--Not later than two years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter,
the Task Force shall submit to the congressional defense
committees a report that includes--
(A) a description of actions taken pursuant to the
recommendations developed under subsection (e);
(B) an assessment of progress made toward reducing food
insecurity among military families; and
(C) any recommendations for improving the Task Force,
including any need for additional funds or other resources.
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