Lawmakers urge new allowance to combat military hunger

A bipartisan bloc of House lawmakers is urging the Armed Services Committees to create a new allowance aimed at alleviating food insecurity among military families, despite opposition from the White House.

In a letter to the House and Senate Armed Services chairmen and ranking members, 27 Democrats and four Republicans contend persistent military hunger hurts readiness and urged the committee leaders to adopt the new benefit in a final version of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

"Today, food pantries operate on or near every military base in the country," the lawmakers wrote. "Those who are willing to fight and die for our nation shouldn't struggle to put food on the table for their families."

"Unique challenges and costs associated with military service — frequent moves, high rates of spousal unemployment, lack of nearby family support and limited access to affordable childcare — make it even more difficult to difficult to take care of a family," they said.

The House-passed defense bill H.R. 2500 (116) would authorize the Pentagon to pay a basic needs allowance to certain low-income troops who may not qualify for the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.

The lawmakers noted many service members don't qualify for that program because the military's basic housing allowance is counted as income in determining SNAP benefits.

The provision also would fill a gap left when lawmakers eliminated a military-specific nutrition assistance program in 2015, following the recommendation of an independent commission that cited low utilization among service members and a host of other issues with the program.

The provision, which isn't included in the Senate-passed bill S. 1790 (116), is one of numerous issues leaders from both chambers must reconcile as part of a joint conference committee tasked with hammering out a final NDAA.

The Trump administration, though, opposes the provision and argues the new allowance amounts to "an unnecessary entitlement."

"Military members receive appropriate compensation already," the White House said in its veto threat of the House defense bill.

The letter was organized by Reps. Don Young (R-Alaska) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.).

Lawmakers are set to resume negotiations on a compromise defense bill when Congress returns from its recess in mid-October. Already, House and Senate Armed Services leaders have blown past their aggressive goal of enacting a bill by the Oct. 1 start to the new fiscal year.