Pilot program on providing subsidies for combat boots

(a) In general Not later than June 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Army shall establish and implement a pilot program to provide subsidies for the cost of certain combat boots to members of the Army that receive a uniform allowance. (b) Subsidy (1) Payment of subsidy Under the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish a subsidy for an eligible member for the purchase of combat boots that comply with the requirements of section 4862 of title 10, United States Code, in an amount that is equal to 30 percent of the price of such boots. (2) Use of subsidy A member who receives the subsidy under paragraph (1) shall use the subsidy to purchase from the Army and Air Force Exchange Service not more than one pair of combat boots that comply with the requirements of section 4862 of title 10, United States Code. (c) Role of exchange stores (1) Selection of locations The Secretary shall select three military installations at which exchange stores operated by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service are located to carry out the pilot program required by subsection (a). (2) Provision of information to Army and Air Force Exchange Service The Secretary shall provide information on eligible members to the exchange stores at the installations selected under paragraph (1). (3) Notice; implementation The Secretary shall— (A) in collaboration with the exchange stores at the installations selected under paragraph (1), provide appropriate notice to eligible members with respect to the subsidy under subsection (b); and (B) under the authority provided by section 2491 of title 10, United States Code, reimburse each such store for— (i) the cost of the subsidies under subsection (b) provided by the store; and (ii) any incidental marketing costs associated with the pilot program required by subsection (a) incurred by the store. (4) Data collection (A) Collection by Secretary The Secretary shall collect data on— (i) the total population of eligible members; and (ii) the overall cost of providing the subsidy under subsection (b). (B) Collection by exchange stores The Secretary shall collect data from the exchange stores at the installations selected under paragraph (1) on— (i) the rates of use of the subsidy under subsection (b) on a quarterly and annual basis; and (ii) which combat boots are being purchased with the subsidy. (d) Termination The pilot program required by subsection (a) shall terminate on December 31, 2029. (e) Briefings required (1) Implementation Not later than March 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Army shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on— (A) a plan to establish and implement the pilot program required by subsection (a); and (B) the three military installations selected under subsection (c)(1) to carry out the pilot program. (2) Annual briefing Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the termination under subsection (d) of the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representative on— (A) the use of the subsidy provided under subsection (b); and (B) the data collected under subsection (c)(4). (f) Eligible member defined The term eligible member means a member of the Army authorized to receive a cash clothing replacement allowance under chapter 29 of volume 7A of the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation.