Panetta, Warnock, Marshall Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Servicemember Food Quality and Access on Military Bases

Washington, D.C. - Today, United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), along with U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to strengthen access to healthy and affordable food options for servicemembers on military bases. The bipartisan Commissary Healthy Options and servicemember Wellness (CHOW) Act would create a common-sense pilot program at two installations selected by the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide servicemembers with a monthly credit to use at their on-base commissary, ensuring they have access to affordable, healthy food. Commissaries, which are on-base grocery stores, provide better options for cooking at home, as well as ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare meals at lower prices than off-base options. By increasing commissary usage, the program would give servicemembers a reliable alternative to limited dining facilities and costly fast food.

"Our service members should never have to worry about whether they can access healthy and affordable meals while serving on base," said Representative Panetta. "The CHOW Act would create a pilot program to expand commissary access and provide new options for nutritious, cost-effective food, helping to ease the burden on those living and working on installations. By ensuring our troops are properly nourished, we can strengthen their readiness and reaffirm our responsibility to support those who serve our nation."

"For too long, servicemembers have lacked reliable access to quality, nutritious food options on base. This bipartisan legislation will launch a program to provide commissary credits to help servicemembers put healthy, tasty, and quality meals on the table, so they can stay focused on the hard work of keeping our country safe," said Senator Warnock. "This is a critical next step in addressing food access and quality for our military; if this program proves effective in boosting food security and improving our military readiness, Congress should move to expand this program nationwide."

"Healthy troops are ready troops - and ensuring the brave men and women who protect our country have access to healthy and nutritious food should be a top priority," said Senator Marshall. "I am proud to partner with Senator Warnock on the CHOW Act to take another meaningful step towards providing healthy alternatives to our servicemembers. This helps to make certain our troops set the standard for strength and peak physical fitness. I am happy to see my MAHA agenda implemented within our armed forces."

Under the pilot, the implementation of which would rest with DOD, junior enlisted servicemembers would receive monetary credits that can only be used at commissaries. The program could ultimately expand nationwide should the benefit prove successful. For too long, the burden has been on junior enlisted servicemembers to make do with low allowances and limited dining options. This measure takes steps to expand access to affordable and healthy food, promote military readiness, and improve quality of life for those who put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms.

About 70 percent of all active-duty service members are overweight, and 21 percent are obese, according to a 2023 report by the American Security Project, a military think tank. Reporting from the New York Times highlights how recipes at the official dining facilities are codified to meet various nutritional standards, but many servicemembers find the results so unappetizing that they eat instead at fast-food restaurants on and off the base.

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