To establish a pilot program on research and development of plant-based protein for the Navy, and for other purposes.
Bill: H.R.8893 | Sponsor: Rep. Slotkin, Elissa (D-MI)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill requires the Department of the Navy to implement a three-year pilot program to offer plant-based protein options at not fewer than two naval facilities, prioritizing facilities where livestock-based protein options may be costly to obtain or store.

To establish a pilot program on research and development of plant-based 
             protein for the Navy, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT-BASED 
              PROTEIN FOR THE NAVY.

    [(a) Establishment.--Not later than March 1, 2023, the Secretary of 
the Navy shall establish and carry out a pilot program to offer plant-
based protein options at [forward operating bases] [should this be 
``naval facilities'' to match the rest of the bill text (assuming that 
naval facilities are a subset of forward operating bases under the 
control of the Navy)] for consumption by members of the Navy.]
    (b) Locations.--Not later than March 1, 2023, the Secretary shall 
identify not fewer than two naval facilities to participate in the 
pilot program and shall prioritize facilities (such as Joint Region 
Marianas, Guam, Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia, and U.S. Fleet 
Activities Sasebo, Japan) where livestock-based protein options may be 
costly to obtain or store.
    (c) Authorities.--In establishing and carrying out the pilot 
program under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy may use the 
following authorities:
            (1) The authority to carry out research and development 
        projects under section 4001 of title 10, United States Code.
            (2) The authority to enter into transactions other than 
        contracts and grants under section 4021 of such title.
            (3) The authority to enter into cooperative research and 
        development agreements under section 4026 of such title.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed 
to prevent offering livestock-based protein options alongside plant-
based protein options at naval facilities identified under subsection 
(b).
    (e) Termination.--The requirement to carry out the pilot program 
established under this section shall terminate three years after the 
date on which the Secretary establishes the pilot program required 
under this section.
    (f) Report.--Not later than one year after the termination of the 
pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees a report on the pilot program that includes 
the following:
            (1) The consumption rate of plant-based protein options by 
        members of the Navy [under the pilot program] [suggest ``at 
        forward operating bases/naval facilities participating in the 
        pilot program''].
            (2) Effective criteria to increase plant-based protein 
        options at naval facilities not identified under subsection 
        (b).
            (3) An analysis of the costs of obtaining and storing 
        plant-based protein options compared to the costs of obtaining 
        and storing livestock-based protein options at [selected naval 
        facilities] [selected how? by whom? Is the intent that these 
        facilities are different from those identified under subsection 
        (b)?].
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committees 
        on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the 
        Senate.
            (2) Plant-based protein options.--The term ``plant-based 
        protein options'' means edible vegan or vegetarian meat 
        alternative products made using plant and other non-livestock-
        based proteins.
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