Supporting Troops’ Access to Recognition Services Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5989 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5989

  To amend chapter 50 of title 10, United States Code, to require the 
   Department of Defense to operate a facility capable of processing 
identification and eligibility systems for members of the Armed Forces 
    and their families near large metropolitan areas, and for other 
                               purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 7, 2025

 Mr. Wied (for himself and Mr. Tiffany) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend chapter 50 of title 10, United States Code, to require the 
   Department of Defense to operate a facility capable of processing 
identification and eligibility systems for members of the Armed Forces 
    and their families near large metropolitan areas, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Troops' Access to 
Recognition Services Act'' or ``STARS Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO MAINTAIN 
              IDENTIFICATION AND ELIGIBILITY FACILITIES WITHIN 30 MILES 
              OF MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS.

    Chapter 50 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section:
``Sec. 996. Requirements for locations of facilities providing 
              identification and eligibility services
    ``(a) Requirement.--The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that--
            ``(1) a covered identification and eligibility facility is 
        located not more than a 30 mile distance from each metropolitan 
        statistical area (as defined by the Director of the Office of 
        Management and Budget) with a population of 300,000 or more 
        according to the most recent United States census population 
        estimates available; and
            ``(2) each such covered identification and eligibility 
        facility is open and staffed by at least one person qualified 
        to assist members of the armed forces and eligible dependents 
        of such members with covered identification matters not less 
        than two days per week during regular business hours.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `covered identification and eligibility 
        facility' means a physical location capable of assisting 
        members of the armed forces and eligible dependents of members 
        of the armed forces with covered identification matters.
            ``(2) The term `covered identification matters' means 
        matters relating to the Defense Enrollment Eligibility 
        Reporting System and Real-Time Automated Personnel 
        Identification System, or any successor to either such system, 
        including the issuance of appropriate identification related to 
        each such system.''.
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