To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study relating to obesity in the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

Bill: 119-hr-1977
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16]
Introduced: 2025-03-10
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Latest action: action_date: 2025-03-10
text: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-03-10
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill requires the Defense Health Agency within the Department of Defense (DOD) to take actions to improve the transparency and frequency of military obesity reports.</p><p>The bill requires DOD to conduct studies and submit reports to Congress on</p><ul><li>the contribution of obesity to in-service injuries and medical discharges and annual costs to the Armed Forces associated with such obesity-related injuries and discharges,</li><li>how it can transform its food procurement processes to procure healthier food that promotes better health outcomes, and</li><li>issues relating to access to healthy foods for families of members of the Armed Forces.</li></ul><p>Additionally, DOD must submit a report to Congress regarding the impact on national security readiness of the rising levels of obesity among active-duty members of the Armed Forces.</p>

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1977 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 10, 2025 Mr. Buchanan (for himself and Ms. Moore of Wisconsin ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study relating to obesity in the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.

1. Studies and reports relating to obesity in the military (a) Improvement of transparency and frequency of military obesity reports The Director of the Defense Health Agency shall take such actions as the Director considers appropriate to improve the transparency and frequency of military obesity reports. (b) Study and report on contribution of obesity to in-Service injuries and medical discharges (1) Study The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on— (A) the contribution of obesity to in-service injuries and medical discharges; and (B) annual costs to the Armed Forces associated with obesity-related in-service injuries and medical discharges. (2) Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1). (c) Study and report on transformation of food procurement processes (1) Study The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on how the Department of Defense can transform the food procurement processes of the Department to procure healthier food that promotes better health outcomes. (2) Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1). (d) Study and report on access to healthy foods (1) Study The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on issues relating to access to healthy foods for families of members of the Armed Forces. (2) Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1). (e) Report on impact of obesity on national security readiness Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the impact on national security readiness of the rising levels of obesity among active-duty members of the Armed Forces. (f) congressional defense committees defined In this section, the term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.