ease, including the need for any additional edu-
cation or guidelines for such physicians and 
other health care practitioners. 
(D) A strategy to work toward members of 
the covered Armed Forces with obesity receiving 
appropriate treatment. 
(3) REQUIREMENTS
FOR
EDUCATIONAL
CAM-
PAIGN.—The educational campaign conducted under 
paragraph (1)(B) shall include the following: 
(A) Information to educate members of the 
covered Armed Forces regarding best practices 
to prevent, reduce, or mitigate obesity, and 
available resources to address the root causes of 
obesity. 
(B) Information targeted to physicians and 
other health care practitioners in the military 
health system to promote diagnosis and treat-
ment of obesity as a disease. 
(4) CONSULTATION.—In developing the strat-
egy and educational campaign required by para-
graph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall consult 
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
acting through the Administrator of the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other agencies of 
the Department of Health and Human Services, as 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Mar 21, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1978.IH
H1978
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
determined appropriate by the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services. 
(b) 
INCLUSION
OF
INFORMATION
REGARDING 
UNMET WEIGHT STANDARDS IN CERTAIN REPORTS.— 
Beginning not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall in-
clude information regarding unmet weight standards in 
any report submitted by the Secretary to Congress regard-
ing disqualifications for enlistment in, disability incurred 
in, or medical discharges from, the covered Armed Forces. 
(c) ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE RE-
PORTS.— 
(1) EFFECTS OF OBESITY ON READINESS OF 
COVERED ARMED FORCES.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense, in consultation with the Adminis-
trator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Serv-
ices, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report regarding the effects of obesity 
on the readiness of the covered Armed Forces. Such 
report shall include legislative recommendations of 
the Secretary to address such effects. 
(2) EFFECTIVENESS OF OBESITY, FOOD, AND 
NUTRITION-RELATED
PROGRAMS
OF
DEPARTMENT 
OF DEFENSE.—Not later than one year after the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Mar 21, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1978.IH
H1978
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter, the Director of the Defense Health Agen-
cy shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report on the effectiveness of the obe-
sity, food, and nutrition-related programs of the De-
partment of Defense in reducing obesity and improv-
ing military readiness. 
(d) GAO REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
report analyzing the existing obesity, food, and nu-
trition-related programs of the Department of De-
fense. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The report required by 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) An assessment of programs directed to 
members of the covered Armed Forces. 
(B) An assessment of programs directed to 
health care providers in the military health sys-
tem. 
(C) An assessment of the effectiveness of 
such programs in reducing obesity and the im-
pact of obesity on military readiness. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Mar 21, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1978.IH
H1978
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(D) Recommendations to coordinate and 
improve existing programs to reduce obesity 
and the impact of obesity on military readiness. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the following: 
(A) The Committee on Armed Services of 
the House of Representatives. 
(B) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives. 
(C) The Committee on Ways and Means of 
the House of Representatives. 
(D) The Committee on Energy and Com-
merce of the House of Representatives. 
(E) The Committee on Armed Services of 
the Senate. 
(F) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the Senate. 
(G) The Committee on Finance of the Sen-
ate. 
(H) The Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Mar 21, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1978.IH
H1978
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(2) The term ‘‘covered Armed Force’’ means 
the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space 
Force. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:19 Mar 21, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H1978.IH
H1978
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB