118 HR 6203 IH: Farmers Feeding America Act of 2023 U.S. House of Representatives 2023-11-02 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 6203IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESNovember 2, 2023Ms. Salinas (for herself, Mr. Panetta, and Ms. Crockett) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on AgricultureA BILLTo amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to make commodities available for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Farmers Feeding America Act of 2023.

2.

Availability of commodities for the Emergency Food Assistance Program

Section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036(a)) is amended—(1)by striking 2023 each place it appears (except in paragraph (2)(D)(ix)) and inserting 2028; and(2)in paragraph (2)—(A)in subparagraph (D)—(i)in clause (viii), by striking and at the end; and(ii)by adding at the end the following:(x)for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $500,000,000; and; and(B)in subparagraph (E)—(i)by striking 2024 and inserting 2029; and(ii)by striking specified in subparagraph (D)(ix) and inserting described in subparagraph (D)(x).

3.

Emergency food program storage and distribution

Section 204(a)(1) of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7508(a)(1)) is amended, in the first sentence, by striking $100,000,000 and inserting $200,000,000.

4.

Emergency food program infrastructure grants

Section 209(d) of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7511a(d)) is amended by striking 2023 and inserting 2028.

5.

Geographically isolated States

Section 214 of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7515) is amended—(1)in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:(3)

Alternative delivery options for geographically isolated States

(A)

Definition of geographically isolated State

In this paragraph, the term geographically isolated State means—(i)the State of Hawaii;(ii)the State of Alaska; (iii)the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;(iv)the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; (v)the Virgin Islands of the United States; and(vi)Guam.(B)

Alternative delivery options

At the request of a geographically isolated State, the Secretary shall coordinate with the geographically isolated State—(i)to establish alternative delivery options for commodities allocated to that geographically isolated State under this section to ensure that the geographically isolated State is able to receive those commodities; and(ii)to allow for the geographically isolated State to order commodities through the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. (C)

Direct purchase option

The Secretary may transfer to a geographically isolated State the cash value of not more than 20 percent of the commodities allocated to that geographically isolated State under this section to be used by the geographically isolated State to procure domestically grown food in lieu of receipt of those commodities.; and(2)by adding at the end the following:(e)

Fresh produce packages

(1)

In general

In purchasing fresh produce packages to provide under the program established under this Act, the Secretary may consider additional factors beyond lowest price in determining winning bids for contracts for those fresh produce packages, including product variety and transportation distance.(2)

Nutrition

The Secretary shall carry out paragraph (1) in a manner that maintains the goal of maximizing the amount of nutritious food available through the program described in that paragraph..