Text of Senate Amendment 6186

On 2026-06-24, Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6186" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6186

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3370-S3371] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6186. Mr. WARNER (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) submitted an [[Page S3371]] 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 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.-- (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. ______

Referenced legislation: S4784