1. (a) Eligibility of Certain Civilian Employees.—

   1. (1) An individual employed as a protective services civilian employee at a military installation may be permitted to purchase food and hygiene items at a commissary store or MWR retail facility located on that military installation.
   2. (2) A civil service mariner of the Military Sealift Command may be permitted to use commissary stores and MWR retail facilities on the same basis as members of the armed forces on active duty.

2. (b) User Fee Authority.—

   1. (1) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations that impose a user fee on individuals who are eligible solely under this section to purchase merchandise at a commissary store or MWR retail facility.
   2. (2) The Secretary shall set the user fee under this subsection at a rate that the Secretary determines will offset any increase in expenses arising from this section borne by the Department of the Treasury on behalf of commissary stores associated with the use of credit or debit cards for customer purchases, including expenses related to card network use and related transaction processing fees.
   3. (3) The Secretary shall deposit funds collected pursuant to a user fee under this subsection in the General Fund of the Treasury.
   4. (4) Any fee under this subsection is in addition to the uniform surcharge under section 2484(d) of this title.

3. (c) Definitions.— In this section:

   1. (1) The term “MWR retail facility” has the meaning given that term in section 1063 of this title.

   2. (2) The term “protective services civilian employee” means a position in any of the following series (or successor classifications) of the General Schedule:

      1. (A) Security Administration (GS–0080).
      2. (B) Fire Protection and Prevention (GS–0081).
      3. (C) Police (GS–0083).
      4. (D) Security Guard (GS–0085).
      5. (E) Emergency Management (GS–0089).

(Added Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title VI, § 631(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3681; amended Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title VI, § 651, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 912.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60, § 651(b)(1), substituted “certain” for “protective services” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60, § 651(b)(2), substituted “Certain” for “Protective Services” in heading.

Pub. L. 119–60, § 651(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).