[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5467 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5467
To amend title 10, United States Code, to extend certain morale,
welfare, and recreation privileges to certain veterans and their
caregivers, to authorize the appropriation of funds for the purpose of
improving the electronic physical access control system used by
military commissaries and exchanges, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 11, 2018
Mr. Lipinski (for himself, Mr. Jones, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Bost, Ms.
Brownley of California, Mr. Capuano, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Cohen,
Mr. Correa, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. DeFazio, Ms. Barragan, Mrs.
Dingell, Mr. Donovan, Mr. Fortenberry, Mr. Gaetz, Mr. Gallego, Mr.
Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Norton, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr.
Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Kinzinger, Ms. Kuster
of New Hampshire, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Mr.
McGovern, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Neal, Mr. Norman, Mr.
O'Halleran, Mr. Payne, Mr. Peterson, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Poliquin, Mr.
Raskin, Mrs. Radewagen, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Rush, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr.
Scott of Virginia, Ms. Shea-Porter, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Soto,
Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Vela, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Watson
Coleman, and Ms. Wilson of Florida) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 10, United States Code, to extend certain morale,
welfare, and recreation privileges to certain veterans and their
caregivers, to authorize the appropriation of funds for the purpose of
improving the electronic physical access control system used by
military commissaries and exchanges, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans
Equal Access Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) In 2017, the Secretary of Defense determined that the
addition of new patron categories to the commissary and
exchange systems would support the growth of a robust customer
base and help ensure the ability of both systems to provide
benefits to members of the Armed Forces and their families.
(2) The Secretary previously opposed extending commissary
and exchange privileges to large patron groups such as disabled
veterans.
(3) In January 2017, the Secretary of Defense approved
limited online exchange shopping privileges for all veterans,
effective November 11, 2017.
(4) The Secretary determined that current patrons of
exchanges did not perceive the extension of such privileges as
diluting the benefit for members of the Armed Forces.
(5) The Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration,
awarded to members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded or
died in combat, fighting for the United States. Since the
modern incarnation of the award was established in 1932,
approximately 1,800,000 members of the Armed Forces have been
awarded the Purple Heart.
SEC. 3. COMMISSARY STORES AND MWR FACILITIES PRIVILEGES FOR CERTAIN
VETERANS AND VETERAN CAREGIVERS.
(a) Extension of Privileges.--Chapter 54 of title 10, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1065. Use of commissary stores and MWR facilities: certain
veterans and caregivers for veterans
``(a) Eligibility of Veterans Awarded the Purple Heart.--A veteran
who was awarded the Purple Heart shall be permitted to use commissary
stores and MWR facilities on the same basis as a member of the armed
forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.
``(b) Eligibility of Veterans Who Are Medal of Honor Recipients.--A
veteran who is a Medal of Honor recipient shall be permitted to use
commissary stores and MWR facilities on the same basis as a member of
the armed forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.
``(c) Eligibility of Veterans Who Are Former Prisoners of War.--A
veteran who is a former prisoner of war shall be permitted to use
commissary stores and MWR facilities on the same basis as a member of
the armed forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.
``(d) Eligibility of Veterans With Service-Connected
Disabilities.--A veteran with a service-connected disability shall be
permitted to use commissary stores and MWR facilities on the same basis
as a member of the armed forces entitled to retired or retainer pay.
``(e) Eligibility of Caregivers for Veterans.--A caregiver or
family caregiver shall be permitted to use commissary stores and MWR
facilities on the same basis as a member of the armed forces entitled
to retired or retainer pay.
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) The term `MWR facilities' includes--
``(A) MWR retail facilities, as that term is
defined in section 1063(e) of this title; and
``(B) military lodging operated by the Department
of Defense for the morale, welfare, and recreation of
members of the armed forces.
``(2) The term `Medal of Honor recipient' has the meaning
given that term in section 1074h(c) of this title.
``(3) The terms `veteran', `former prisoner of war', and
`service-connected' have the meanings given those terms in
section 101 of title 38.
``(4) The terms `caregiver' and `family caregiver' have the
meanings given those terms in section in section 1720G(d) of
title 38.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 54 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following new item:
``1065. Use of commissary stores and MWR facilities: certain veterans
and caregivers for veterans.''.
(c) Effective Date.--Section 1065 of title 10, United States Code,
as added by subsection (a), shall take effect at the end of the 90-day
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION FOR UPDATING EPACS FOR MILITARY
COMMISSARIES.
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any funds in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $500,000 to the Secretary of
Defense for the purpose of updating the electronic physical access
control system used by military commissaries and exchanges so that the
system may recognize and accept veteran health identification cards.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INDIVIDUALS AWARDED THE PURPLE
HEART.
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense, in
coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, should maintain a
list of all individuals awarded the Purple Heart.
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