PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 2339: Military Hunger Prevention Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 2339: Military Hunger Prevention Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-04-01 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-04-01 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Military Hunger Prevention Act

Plain summary

Military Hunger Prevention Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to pay a basic needs allowance to certain low-income members of the Armed Forces. Specifically, those eligible for the basic needs allowance are members who (1) have completed initial entry training, (2) have a gross household income that did not exceed an amount equal to 130% of the federal poverty guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and (3) do not elect to decline the allowance. In situations where a household contains two or more eligible members, the bill specifies that only one allowance may be paid per year to one member they jointly elect. The amount of the allowance must be the aggregate amount equal to 130% of the HHS federal poverty guidelines minus the gross household income of the covered member during the preceding year divided by 12. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) of DOD must notify, in writing, individuals determined to be eligible for the allowance. The notice must include information regarding financial management and assistance programs administered by DOD for which the individuals are also eligible. Individuals who seek to receive the allowance must submit specified information to DFAS.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Military Hunger Prevention Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] · 73 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), James R. Baird (R-IN), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Marc A. Veasey (D-TX), Deborah K. Ross (D-NC), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Tom Cole (R-OK), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Daniel Meuser (R-PA), Suzan K. DelBene (D-WA), Bradley Scott Schneider (D-IL), Thomas R. Suozzi (D-NY), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), André Carson (D-IN), Joseph D. Morelle (D-NY), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Grace Meng (D-NY), Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Richard Hudson (R-NC) and 13 more.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] reported raising $3.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong117-hr2339 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117