Tom Barrett (R-MI)
Healthy Commissaries, Healthy Families Act
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Healthy Commissaries, Healthy Families Act" aims to increase the availability, visibility, affordability, and promotion of healthy foods within U.S. military commissaries. The Director of the Defense Commissary Agency is required to appoint a Director of Healthy Foods to oversee this effort. The Secretary of Defense must collaborate with the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Agriculture to develop and implement a comprehensive plan. This plan includes strategies for involving local farmers and conducting nutrition education for military families. Agencies will also work together to coordinate research, share best practices, and exchange data. The program's requirements are set to terminate on December 31, 2030.
Yes· 3 of 13
- Scored +4
Would farmers be better off under this?
The bill explicitly creates pathways for local farmers and farmers markets to provide goods to military commissaries.
- Scored +3
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
The bill directly improves the nutritional environment and food accessibility for military families.
- Scored +3
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill creates new procurement opportunities for local farmers and farmers markets to sell to the Defense Commissary Agency.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Food Access: The bill requires a program to increase the availability, visibility, and affordability of healthy foods at commissaries located in the United States (Section 2(a)).
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Support for Local Agriculture: The plan must identify actions to incorporate the use of local farmers and farmers markets to provide healthy foods to commissaries (Section 2(c)(1)(B)).
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Community Opportunities: The Director of Healthy Foods will conduct outreach to agricultural producers, farmers markets, and farmers in local areas to find ways to increase their participation in providing food to commissaries (Section 2(e)).
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Educational Benefits: The interagency procedures will include efforts to promote nutrition education and information specifically for military families (Section 2(d)(5)).
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Public Information Access: The Defense Commissary Agency must make resources available on its website that identify local farms, farmers markets, and other healthy food resources near each commissary location (Section 2(f)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly stated in the text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill explicitly creates pathways for local farmers and farmers markets to provide goods to military commissaries. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill directly improves the nutritional environment and food accessibility for military families. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill aims to increase the affordability of healthy foods, which benefits budget-conscious households.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill creates new procurement opportunities for local farmers and farmers markets to sell to the Defense Commissary Agency. Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill's emphasis on incorporating local farmers and farmers markets may stimulate demand for agricultural production. Is this likely to grow the economy? — By connecting local food producers to military commissaries, the bill supports local agricultural economies.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill promotes nutrition education and access to healthy foods to improve general health outcomes for military families. Does this put more money into medical research? — The bill mandates interagency cooperation to coordinate nutrition research.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill encourages the use of local farmers and farmers markets, which can bolster rural agricultural economies.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — Improving food access and nutrition within military commissaries supports the well-being of current and former service members and their families.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill coordinates nutrition research across multiple federal agencies.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Defense Commissary Agency to make local food resource information publicly available on its website.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Increasing the affordability of healthy foods can help reduce nutritional disparities in military families.
- 7/27/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- Introduced in House