Military Hunger Prevention Act
Bill: H.R.2339 | Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Military Hunger Prevention Act
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to pay a basic needs allowance to certain low-income members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, those eligible for the basic needs allowance are members who (1) have completed initial entry training, (2) have a gross household income that did not exceed an amount equal to 130% of the federal poverty guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and (3) do not elect to decline the allowance.
In situations where a household contains two or more eligible members, the bill specifies that only one allowance may be paid per year to one member they jointly elect.
The amount of the allowance must be the aggregate amount equal to 130% of the HHS federal poverty guidelines minus the gross household income of the covered member during the preceding year divided by 12.
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) of DOD must notify, in writing, individuals determined to be eligible for the allowance. The notice must include information regarding financial management and assistance programs administered by DOD for which the individuals are also eligible.
Individuals who seek to receive the allowance must submit specified information to DFAS.

To amend title 37, United States Code, to establish a basic needs 
     allowance for low-income regular members of the Armed Forces.

    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 ``Military Hunger Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. BASIC NEEDS ALLOWANCE FOR LOW-INCOME REGULAR MEMBERS OF THE 
              ARMED FORCES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 7 of title 37, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 402a the following new section:
``Sec. 402b. Basic needs allowance for low-income regular members of 
              the armed forces
    ``(a) Allowance Required.--(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the 
Secretary of Defense shall pay to each covered member a basic needs 
allowance in the amount determined for such member under subsection 
(b).
    ``(2) In the event a household contains two or more covered members 
entitled to receive the allowance under this section in a given year, 
only one allowance may be paid for that year to a covered member among 
such covered members whom such covered members shall jointly elect.
    ``(b) Amount of Allowance for a Covered Member.--(1) The amount of 
the monthly allowance payable to a covered member under subsection (a) 
for a year shall be the aggregate amount equal to--
            ``(A) the aggregate amount equal to--
                    ``(i) 130 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines 
                of the Department of Health and Human Services for the 
                location and number of persons in the household of the 
                covered member for such year; minus
                    ``(ii) the gross household income of the covered 
                member during the preceding year; and
            ``(B) divided by 12.
    ``(2) The monthly allowance payable to a covered member for a year 
shall be payable for each of the 12 months following--
            ``(A) in the case of an individual whom the Director of the 
        Defense Finance and Accounting Service first notifies in a 
        given year under subsection (c)(3)(A), March of such year; or
            ``(B) in the case of an individual whom the Director of the 
        Defense Finance and Accounting Service first notifies in a 
        given year under subsection (c)(3)(B), September of such year.
    ``(c) Notice of Eligibility.--(1)(A) Not later than June 30 and 
December 31 each year, the Director of the Defense Finance and 
Accounting Service shall notify, in writing, each individual whom the 
Director determines will be a covered member during the following year, 
regarding the potential entitlement of that individual to the allowance 
described in subsection (a) for that following year.
    ``(B) The preliminary notice under subparagraph (A) shall include 
information regarding financial management and assistance programs 
administered by the Secretary of Defense for which a covered member is 
eligible.
    ``(2) Not later than January 31 each year, each individual who 
seeks to receive the allowance for such year (whether or not subject to 
a notice for such year under paragraph (1)) shall submit to the 
Director such information as the Director shall require for purposes of 
this section in order to determine whether or not such individual is a 
covered member for such year.
    ``(3) The Director shall notify, in writing, each individual the 
Director determines will be a covered member in the following year not 
later than--
            ``(A) February 28 of each year; and
            ``(B) August 31 of each year.
    ``(d) Election Not To Receive Allowance.--(1) A covered member 
otherwise entitled to receive the allowance under subsection (a) for a 
year may elect, in writing, not to receive the allowance for such year. 
Any election under this subsection shall be effective only for the year 
for which made. Any election for a year under this subsection is 
irrevocable.
    ``(2) A covered member who does not submit information described in 
subsection (d)(2) for a year as otherwise required by that subsection 
shall be deemed to have elected not to receive the allowance for such 
year.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `covered member' means a regular member of 
        the armed forces--
                    ``(A) who has completed initial entry training;
                    ``(B) whose gross household income during the most 
                recent year did not exceed an amount equal to 130 
                percent of the Federal poverty guidelines of the 
                Department of Health and Human Services for the 
                location and number of persons in the household of the 
                covered member for such year; and
                    ``(C) who does not elect under subsection (d) not 
                to receive the allowance for such year.
            ``(2) The term `gross household income' of a covered member 
        for a year for purposes of paragraph (1)(B) does not include 
        any basic allowance for housing received by the covered member 
        (and any dependents of the covered member in the household of 
        the covered member) during such year under section 403 of this 
        title.
    ``(f) Regulations.--The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe 
regulations for the administration of this section. Subject to 
subsection (e)(2), such regulations shall specify the income to be 
included in, and excluded from, the gross household income of 
individuals for purposes of this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 7 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 402a the following new item:

``402b. Basic needs allowance for low-income regular members of the 
                            armed forces.''.
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