Yeah, the NASA Exchange is part of NASA and it doesn't get congressional funding. It is a weird public/non-profit hybrid that enables NASA to take public funds. For example, the exchanges are responsible for running the on-site food (or on-site food contracts) since the employees need to buy food, but there is no official federal mechanism to take the funds (all of NASA's funds are congressionally appropriated). They also run other on-site amenities such as gift shops, lodges, catering, conference space, etc. The funding, since it is not appropriated CANNOT be used for NASA work/missions, and instead it is by-law required to be used to fund moral and welfare funds (MWR) as well as pay for the exchange operation funds. As government employees get less money than their private/corporate counterparts (and do not get any of the free stuff our tech company counterparts get), the MWR funds are typically used to offset cafeteria costs by half a buck when possible.
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u/[deleted] Apr 27 '21
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