Rep. Panetta Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Call to Address Hunger in the Military

Washington, DC - United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) led a bipartisan and bicameral coalition to urge the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to preserve critical legislation in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that addresses food insecurity among military families.

Despite steps taken by Congress, including the creation of the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) and the expansion of eligibility thresholds, new data makes clear that hunger remains a persistent and widespread issue for military households. A recent follow-up report by the RAND Corporationconfirmed that 25% of active-duty personnel across all branches of the military remain food insecure, with the overwhelming majority being mid-career and junior enlisted servicemembers.

The letter highlights two of Congressman Panetta's bipartisan and bicameral amendments in the NDAA:

1. Removing Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) income calculations. Under current law, BAH is included in income for purposes of determining BNA eligibility, even though this benefit is intended to offset housing costs. This structure unfairly excludes thousands of struggling servicemembers from receiving nutritional support. By excluding BAH from income, we can ensure that the BNA reaches the personnel most in need and more faithfully aligns with congressional intent.

2. Establishing a new commissary benefit pilot program. This initiative would authorize the Pentagon to pilot a commissary coupon benefit at two military installations, helping servicemembers access affordable and nutritious meals at commissaries. It also directs the Pentagon to assess the program's impact on food security, dietary health, commissary utilization, and impact on dining facilities. This measure provides a practical, immediate pathway to increasing access to nutritious food for those living on installations where dining facilities are often inadequate or inaccessible.

"Embarrassingly, way too many of our nation's servicemembers and their families experience food insecurity, especially with the recent uncertainty around SNAP benefits during the shutdown," said Rep. Panetta. "As members of the U.S. Congress, the least that we can do is to address military hunger in this year's final NDAA. That must be our responsibility for the men and women in uniform and their families who are responsible for the security of our nation."

"The Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) is an innovative solution for our servicemembers who struggle to make ends meet, and Congress has an opportunity to expand access to this resource for more food insecure families in this year's NDAA. With paychecks spread thin, benefits being slashed, and soaring grocery prices, our military families are feeling the pain. Our servicemembers deserve the same respect from the federal government that they show our country every day, and Congress can free them from the economic anxiety that plagues too many American families. MAZON welcomes this bipartisan and bicameral effort to expand the BNA and address food and nutrition security in the FY 2026 NDAA," said Liza Leiberman, Vice President of Public Affairs for MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger.

Additional signers of the letter include; Roger Marshall (KS-Sen); Blake Moore (UT-1); Raphael G. Warnock (GA-Sen); Marilyn Strickland (WA-10);Danny Davis (IL-7); Maggie Goodlander (NH-2); Sara Jacobs (CA-51); Morgan McGarvey (KY-3); Dave Min (CA-47); Gwen Moore (WI-4); Eleanor Norton (DC-At-Large); Josh Riley (NY-19).

Full letter can be found hereand below.

Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Smith, Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed,

As you begin to conference the House and Senate versions of the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we urge you to preserve Section 621 of the House NDAA, and Section 5621 of the Senate NDAA that address food insecurity in the military. These sections are essential to improving the quality of life and readiness of our servicemembers, particularly those in the junior and mid-level enlisted ranks who are most affected by hunger and lack of access to quality nutritious meals.

During the past four years, Congress has recognized the urgent need to combat food insecurity among servicemembers. Establishing the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) in the FY22 NDAA and raising the eligibility threshold to 200% of the federal poverty limit in the FY25 NDAA were important steps forward. However, recent analysis from the Pentagon and RAND has confirmed that food insecurity is far more widespread than initially believed, affecting as many as one in four servicemembers. Despite these findings, implementation of the BNA has been far too narrow, reaching only about 2,400 servicemembers, or 0.08% of those in need.

Two provisions in particular deserve continued support:

1. Section 621 of the House NDAA, Removing Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) from Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) income calculations. Under current law, BAH is included in income for purposes of determining BNA eligibility, even though this benefit is intended to offset housing costs. This structure unfairly excludes thousands of struggling servicemembers from receiving nutritional support. By excluding BAH from income, we can ensure that the BNA reaches the personnel most in need and more faithfully aligns with congressional intent.
2. Section 5621 of the Senate NDAA, Establishing a new commissary benefit pilot program. This initiative would authorize the Pentagon to pilot a commissary coupon benefit at two military installations, helping servicemembers access affordable and nutritious meals at commissaries. It also directs the Pentagon to assess the program's impact on food security, dietary health, commissary utilization, and impact on dining facilities. This measure provides a practical, immediate pathway to increasing access to nutritious food for those living on installations where dining facilities are often inadequate or inaccessible.

Forging an army requires stamina and vigor, yet too often, servicemembers are unable to put nutritious meals on the table. With a proposed defense budget of nearly $900 billion in FY26, ensuring our servicemembers and their families have reliable access to healthy meals should be both feasible and a top priority. We owe it to those who serve to safeguard their most basic needs. Addressing hunger and ensuring access to nutrient-dense meals is fundamental to both our servicemembers' well-being and our military readiness.

We respectfully urge you to preserve these provisions as the FY26 NDAA moves forward. Thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to the men and women of our Armed Forces.

Sincerely,