[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1556 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1556

      To improve child nutrition programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 13, 1997

   Mr. Leahy introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To improve child nutrition programs, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Child Nutrition 
Initiatives Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
                   TITLE I--NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH ACT

Sec. 101. Grants to integrate food and nutrition projects with 
                            elementary school curricula.
Sec. 102. Summer food service program for children.
Sec. 103. Child and adult care food program.
Sec. 104. Meal supplements for children in afterschool care.
Sec. 105. Homeless children nutrition program.
Sec. 106. Boarder baby and other pilot projects.
Sec. 107. Information clearinghouse.
                 TITLE II--CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 1966

Sec. 201. Area grant program.
Sec. 202. Special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, 
                            and children.
Sec. 203. Nutrition education and training.

                   TITLE I--NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH ACT

SEC. 101. GRANTS TO INTEGRATE FOOD AND NUTRITION PROJECTS WITH 
              ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CURRICULA.

    Section 12(m) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(m)) 
is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(m)(1) The'' and inserting the following:
    ``(m) Grants To Integrate Food and Nutrition Projects With 
Elementary School Curricula.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (5), the'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
            ``(3) Amount of grants.--Subject to paragraph (5), the 
        Secretary shall make grants to each of the 3 private 
        organizations or institutions selected under this subsection in 
        amounts of not less than $60,000, nor more than $130,000, for 
        each of fiscal years 1999 through 2001.''; and
            (3) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
            ``(5) Payments.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Out of any moneys in the 
                Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of 
                the Treasury shall provide to the Secretary to carry 
                out this subsection $300,000 for each of fiscal years 
                1999 through 2001.
                    ``(B) Entitlement to funds.--The Secretary shall be 
                entitled to receive the funds made available under 
                subparagraph (A) and shall accept the funds.
                    ``(C) Insufficient number of applicants.--The 
                Secretary may expend less than the amount described in 
                subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year to the extent that 
                there is an insufficient number of suitable applicants 
                for grants under this subsection for the fiscal year.
                    ``(D) Unobligated funds.--Of any funds that are 
                made available, but not obligated, for a fiscal year 
                under this paragraph--
                            ``(i) 25 percent shall remain available 
                        until expended; and
                            ``(ii) the remainder shall be returned to 
                        the general fund of the Treasury.''.

SEC. 102. SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN.

    (a) Purposes.--Section 13(a)(1) of the National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1761(a)(1)) is amended in the first sentence by striking 
``initiate and maintain'' and inserting ``initiate, maintain, and 
expand''.
    (b) Definition of Areas in Which Poor Economic Conditions Exist.--
Section 13(a)(1)(C) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
1761(a)(1)(C)) is amended by striking ``50 percent'' and inserting ``40 
percent''.
    (c) Commercial Vendors.--Section 13(a)(2) of the National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(a)(2)) is amended in the first sentence--
            (1) by striking ``institution or'' and inserting 
        ``institution,''; and
            (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
        following: ``, or by commercial vendors''.
    (d) Number of Private Nonprofit Organizations in a Rural Area.--
Section 13(a)(7)(B)(i)(II) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
1761(a)(7)(B)(i)(II)) is amended by striking ``20 sites'' and inserting 
``25 sites''.
    (e) Second Helpings.--Section 13(a) of the National School Lunch 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) Second helpings.--In carrying out this section, the 
        Secretary shall issue regulations that provide an allowance for 
        a second helping of up to 5 percent of the quantity of the 
        first helping served.''.
    (f) Payments.--Section 13(b)(1) of the National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1761(b)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``$1.97'' and 
        inserting ``$2.23'';
            (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``subparagraph (B)'' 
        and inserting ``subparagraphs (B) and (D)''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) Reimbursement for transportation.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        provide an additional reimbursement to each 
                        eligible service institution located in a very 
                        rural area (as defined by the Secretary) for 
                        the cost of transporting each child to and from 
                        a feeding site for children who are brought to 
                        the site by the service institution or for whom 
                        transportation is arranged by the service 
                        institution.
                            ``(ii) Amount.--Subject to clause (iii), 
                        the amount of reimbursement provided to a 
                        service institution under this subparagraph may 
                        not exceed the lesser of--
                                    ``(I) 75 cents per day for each 
                                child transported to and from a feeding 
                                site; or
                                    ``(II) the actual cost of 
                                transporting children to, and home 
                                from, a feeding site.
                            ``(iii) Adjustments.--The amounts specified 
                        in clause (ii) shall be adjusted in accordance 
                        with subparagraph (C).''.
    (g) Number of Meals and Supplements.--Section 13(b)(2) of the 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(b)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses 
        (i) and (ii), respectively;
            (2) by striking ``(2) Any service'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(2) Meals and supplements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any service'';
            (3) by striking ``3 meals, or 2 meals and 1 supplement,'' 
        and inserting ``4 meals''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Camps and migrant programs.--A camp or 
                migrant program may serve a breakfast, a lunch, a 
                supper, and meal supplements.''.
    (h) Extension.--Section 13(q) of the National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1761(q)) is amended by striking ``1998'' and inserting ``2003''.

SEC. 103. CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM.

    (a) Extensions.--Section 17 of the National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1766) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(6)(B), by striking ``1997'' and 
        inserting ``2003'';
            (2) in subsection (f)(3)(D), by striking ``fiscal year 
        1997'' each place it appears and inserting ``each of fiscal 
        years 1997 through 2003''; and
            (3) in subsection (p), by striking ``1998'' each place it 
        appears and inserting ``2003''.
    (b) Number of Meals and Supplements.--Section 17(f)(2)(B) of the 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(f)(2)(B)) is amended by 
striking ``2 meals and 1 supplement'' and inserting ``2 meals and 2 
supplements, or 3 meals and 1 supplement,''.''.
    (c) Grants to States to Provide Assistance to Family or Group Day 
Care Homes.--Section 17(f)(3)(D)(ii)(I) of the National School Lunch 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(f)(3)(D)(ii)(I)) is amended by striking ``$30,000'' 
and inserting ``$45,000''.

SEC. 104. MEAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR CHILDREN IN AFTERSCHOOL CARE.

    Section 17A(a)(2)(C) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
1766a(a)(2)(C))) is amended by striking ``on May 15, 1989''.

SEC. 105. HOMELESS CHILDREN NUTRITION PROGRAM.

    Section 17B(g)(1) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
1766b(g)(1)) is amended in the first sentence by striking ``and 
$3,700,000 for fiscal year 1999'' and inserting ``$3,700,000 for fiscal 
year 1999, $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, $4,100,000 for fiscal year 
2001, and $4,200,000 for fiscal year 2002''.

SEC. 106. BOARDER BABY AND OTHER PILOT PROJECTS.

    Section 18 of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) by striking ``1998'' each place it appears and 
                inserting ``2003''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (3)(A)--
                            (i) in clause (v), by striking ``and'' at 
                        the end; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(vii) salaries and expenses of support staff, 
                including management, medical, nursing, janitorial, and 
                other support staff; and'';
            (2) in subsection (e)(5), by striking ``and 1998'' and 
        inserting ``through 2003'';
            (3) in subsections (g)(5) and (h)(5), by striking ``1997'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``2003''; and
            (4) in subsection (i)(8), by striking ``1998'' and 
        inserting ``2003''.

SEC. 107. INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE.

    Section 26(d) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769g(d)) 
is amended in the first sentence by striking ``$100,000 for fiscal year 
1998'' and inserting ``$185,000 for each of fiscal years 1998 through 
2003''.

                 TITLE II--CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 1966

SEC. 201. AREA GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Area Grant Program.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Eligible school.--The term `eligible school' 
                means a school--
                            ``(i) attended by children, a significant 
                        percentage of whom--
                                    ``(I) are members of low-income 
                                families, as determined by the 
                                Secretary; or
                                    ``(II) live in rural areas and have 
                                unmet needs for initiation or expansion 
                                of a school breakfast or summer food 
                                service program for children; and
                            ``(ii)(I) as used with respect to a school 
                        breakfast program, that agrees to operate the 
                        school breakfast program established or 
                        expanded with the assistance provided under 
                        this subsection for a period of not less than 3 
                        years; and
                            ``(II) as used with respect to a summer 
                        food service program for children, that agrees 
                        to operate the summer food service program for 
                        children established or expanded with the 
                        assistance provided under this subsection for a 
                        period of not less than 3 years.
                    ``(B) Service institution.--The term `service 
                institution' means an institution or organization 
                described in paragraph (1)(B) or (7) of section 13(a) 
                of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(a)).
                    ``(C) Summer food service program for children.--
                The term `summer food service program for children' 
                means a program authorized by section 13 of the 
                National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761).
            ``(2) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a 
        program under this subsection to be known as the `Area Grant 
        Program' (referred to in this subsection as the `Program') to 
        assist eligible schools and service institutions through grants 
        to initiate or expand programs under the school breakfast 
        program and the summer food service program for children.
            ``(3) Payments.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Out of any moneys in the 
                Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of 
                the Treasury shall provide to the Secretary to carry 
                out this subsection $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 and 
                each fiscal year thereafter.
                    ``(B) Entitlement to funds.--The Secretary shall be 
                entitled to receive the funds made available under 
                subparagraph (A) and shall accept the funds.
                    ``(C) Use of funds.--The Secretary shall use the 
                funds made available under subparagraph (A) to make 
                payments under the Program--
                            ``(i) in the case of the school breakfast 
                        program, to school food authorities for 
                        eligible schools; and
                            ``(ii) in the case of the summer food 
                        service program for children, to service 
                        institutions.
                    ``(D) Insufficient number of applicants.--The 
                Secretary may expend less than the amount described in 
                subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year to the extent that 
                there is an insufficient number of suitable applicants 
                to initiate or expand programs under this subsection 
                for the fiscal year.
            ``(4) Priority.--The Secretary shall make payments under 
        the Program on a competitive basis and in the following order 
        of priority (subject to the other provisions of this 
        subsection) to:
                    ``(A) School food authorities for eligible schools 
                to assist the schools with nonrecurring expenses 
                incurred in--
                            ``(i) initiating a school breakfast program 
                        under this section; or
                            ``(ii) expanding a school breakfast 
                        program.
                    ``(B) Service institutions to assist the 
                institutions with nonrecurring expenses incurred in--
                            ``(i) initiating a summer food service 
                        program for children; or
                            ``(ii) expanding a summer food service 
                        program for children.
            ``(5) Additional payments.--Payments under the Program 
        shall be in addition to payments under subsection (b) of this 
        section and section 13 of the National School Lunch Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1761).
            ``(6) Preferences.--Consistent with paragraph (4), in 
        making payments under the Program for any fiscal year to 
        initiate or expand school breakfast programs or summer food 
        service programs for children, the Secretary shall provide a 
        preference to a school food authority for an eligible school or 
        service institution that--
                    ``(A) in the case of a summer food service program 
                for children, is a public or private nonprofit school 
                food authority;
                    ``(B) has significant public or private resources 
                that will be used to carry out the initiation or 
                expansion of the programs during the year;
                    ``(C) serves an unmet need among low-income 
                children, as determined by the Secretary;
                    ``(D) is not operating a school breakfast program 
                or summer food service program for children, as 
                appropriate; or
                    ``(E) is located in a rural area, as determined by 
                the Secretary.
            ``(7) Recovery and reallocation.--The Secretary shall act 
        in a timely manner to recover and reallocate to other school 
        food authorities for eligible schools or service institutions 
        any amounts under the Program that are not expended within a 
        reasonable period (as determined by the Secretary).
            ``(8) Maintenance of effort.--Expenditures of funds from 
        State, local, and private sources for the maintenance of the 
        school breakfast program and the summer food service program 
        for children shall not be diminished as a result of payments 
        received under the Program.''.

SEC. 202. SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, 
              AND CHILDREN.

    (a) Extensions.--Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 
U.S.C. 1786) is amended in subsections (g)(1), (h)(2)(A), and 
(h)(10)(A) by striking ``1998'' each place it appears and inserting 
``2003''.
    (b) Sense of Congress on Full Funding for WIC.--It is the sense of 
Congress that the special supplemental nutrition program for women, 
infants, and children established under section 17 of the Child 
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786) should be fully funded for 
fiscal year 1998 and each subsequent fiscal year so that all eligible 
participants for the program will be permitted to participate at the 
full level of participation for individuals in their category, in 
accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary of Agriculture.
    (c) Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.--Section 17(m) of the Child 
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``(m)(1) Subject'' and 
        all that follows through ``the Secretary'' and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(m) Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary'';
            (2) in paragraph (6)(B)--
                    (A) by striking ``(B)(i) Subject to the 
                availability of appropriations, if'' and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(B) Minimum amount.--If''; and
                    (B) by striking clause (ii); and
            (3) in paragraph (9), by striking ``(9)(A)'' and all that 
        follows through the end of subparagraph (A) and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(9) Funding.--
                    ``(A) Payments.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Out of any moneys in the 
                        Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the 
                        Secretary of the Treasury shall provide to the 
                        Secretary to carry out this subsection 
                        $15,000,000 for fiscal year 1999, $19,000,000 
                        for fiscal year 2000, $24,000,000 for fiscal 
                        year 2001, $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, 
                        and $37,000,000 for fiscal year 2003. Such 
                        funds shall remain available for this program 
                        until expended.
                            ``(ii) Entitlement to funds.--The Secretary 
                        shall be entitled to receive the funds made 
                        available under subparagraph (A) and shall 
                        accept the funds.''.

SEC. 203. NUTRITION EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

    Section 19(i) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1788(i)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in the first sentence of subparagraph (A), by 
                inserting ``and each succeeding fiscal year'' after 
                ``1996''; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(B) Minimum amount.--The minimum amount of a 
                grant provided to a State for a fiscal year under this 
                section shall be $85,000.'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (3); and
            (3) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs 
        (3) and (4), respectively.
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