physical access control system used by military com-
missaries and exchanges, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Purple Heart and Dis-
abled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) In 2017, the Secretary of Defense deter-
mined that the addition of new patron categories to 
the commissary and exchange systems would support 
the growth of a robust customer base and help en-
sure 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 pa-
trons of exchanges did not perceive the extension of 
such privileges as diluting the benefit for members 
of the Armed Forces. 
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(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 in-
carnation of the award was established in 1932, ap-
proximately 1,800,000 members of the Armed 
Forces have been awarded the Purple Heart. 
SEC. 3. COMMISSARY STORES AND MWR FACILITIES PRIVI-
LEGES FOR CERTAIN VETERANS AND VET-
ERAN CAREGIVERS. 
(a) EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES.—Chapter 54 of title 
10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1065. Use of commissary stores and MWR facilities: 
certain veterans and caregivers for vet-
erans 
‘‘(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 
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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 De-
partment of Defense for the morale, welfare, 
and recreation of members of the armed forces. 
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‘‘(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 care-
giver’ have the meanings given those terms in sec-
tion 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 care-
givers 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 UPDAT-
ING 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 sys-
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tem 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 De-
fense, in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs, should maintain a list of all individuals awarded the 
Purple Heart. 
Æ 
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