To amend title 10, United States Code, to require biennial assessments on the nutrition standards of the military departments, and for other purposes.
H.R. 5189 would add a new requirement to title 10 of the U.S. Code: the Secretary of Defense must conduct biennial assessments of the nutrition standards across all military departments and how those standards are reflected in the food options available to service members at military installations. A report detailing the assessment results must be submitted to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees and posted publicly by the Department of Defense. The bill also requires a plan, within 180 days of enactment, to increase access to nutritious food on installations, including a strategy addressing nonappropriated fund food venues (on-base venues not funded by appropriated appropriations), and it asks that this plan align with recommendations in a GAO report from June 2024. First assessments would be due no later than December 1, 2026. Overall, the bill aims to improve transparency and accountability around military nutrition programs and push for greater access to healthier food options on bases.
Key Points
- 1Creates a new Sec. 489 in Chapter 23 of title 10 U.S.C. requiring biennial assessments of the nutrition standards of each military department and how those standards appear in on-base food options.
- 2Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report on each assessment to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees and to publish the report on a publicly accessible DoD website.
- 3First assessment report due no later than December 1, 2026.
- 4Requires a plan, within 180 days after enactment, to increase access to nutritious food on military installations, coordinated by key DoD offices, and published publicly.
- 5The plan must include a strategy for increasing nutritious options at nonappropriated fund (NAF) venues, i.e., on-base dining locations not funded by congressional appropriations, and must align with the GAO’s June 2024 recommendations on the DOD food program.