{"id":12525,"date":"2018-05-14T19:55:58","date_gmt":"2018-05-14T19:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/05\/14\/lawmakers-want-to-pump-the-brakes-on-commissary-exchange-merger-plans\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:39:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:39:50","slug":"lawmakers-want-to-pump-the-brakes-on-commissary-exchange-merger-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/pay-benefits\/2018\/05\/14\/lawmakers-want-to-pump-the-brakes-on-commissary-exchange-merger-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers want to \u2018pump the brakes\u2019 on commissary-exchange merger plans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lawmakers want to be part of the process of deciding whether commissaries and exchanges should be consolidated <\/a>into one defense resale system … before defense officials make a decision on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An amendment introduced by Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb.<\/a>, and included in the House Armed Services Committee\u2019s version of the 2019 defense authorization bill, requires DoD to conduct a study on whether it\u2019s feasible to consolidate the Defense Commissary Agency<\/a>, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Navy Exchange Service Command and the Marine Corps Exchange. The next step for the bill will be a vote by the full House. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general, said the amendment is designed to make the commissaries and exchanges more efficient, while still preserving the benefits for service members and their families. But that should be done with lawmaker input, he noted in a statement provided to Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCongress has an obligation to accomplish this deliberately with the Department of Defense and military services to ensure this is a consultative and inclusive process of reform, while eliminating waste and unnecessary costs,\u201d he said. \u201cI look forward to working with the Department to certify that this possible consolidation is done the right way and these benefits are maintained.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amendment calls for DoD to submit a report to the congressional defense committees no later than Jan. 1, 2019, with, among other things, a financial assessment, a business case analysis, and \u201corganizational, operational, and business model integration plans\u201d for consolidating the commissary and exchange systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would also prohibit DoD from using taxpayer funds for the purpose of consolidating the retail entities.<\/p>\n\n\n\t