Griffin Introduces Bill to Protect Military Commissaries from Closure

Press Release

Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement after introducing the Save our Military Shopping Benefits Act (H.R. 3996):

"Our military men and women rely on commissaries and exchanges on base to be convenient providers of essential, affordable groceries for their families. Closing these stores--which represent only three-tenths of one percent of the defense budget--would be a poke in the eye to our Armed Forces, and DoD should find other ways to save taxpayers money. It's unacceptable for the Obama Administration to support wasteful government spending while targeting for elimination benefits that servicemembers have earned, and that's why I introduced this bill to protect all commissary and exchange services through the end of this Administration."

The Save our Military Shopping Benefits Act [PDF], a two-page bill, would prevent the Department of Defense from closing or reducing operations of commissary stores and exchanges on military installations within the U.S. through 2016. It includes an exception for changes "required for upgrading or modifying an existing structure for safety or health reasons."

Ten original cosponsors--nine Republicans and one Democrat--joined Rep. Griffin in introducing the bill: Reps. Ander Crenshaw (FL-04), John Garamendi (CA-03), Tim Huelskamp (KS-01), Bill Huizenga (MI-02), Billy Long (MO-07), Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03), Candice Miller (MI-10), Ed Whitfield (KY-01), Kevin Yoder (KS-03) and Ted Yoho (FL-03).

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