[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1733 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.1733

                       One Hundred Fifth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
                                  eight


                                 An Act


 
To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to require food stamp State agencies 
to take certain actions to ensure that food stamp coupons are not issued 
  for deceased individuals, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to 
conduct a study of options for the design, development, implementation, 
 and operation of a national database to track participation in Federal 
    means-tested public assistance 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. DENIAL OF FOOD STAMPS FOR DECEASED INDIVIDUALS.

    (a) In General.--Section 11 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
2020) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(r) Denial of Food Stamps for Deceased Individuals.--Each State 
agency shall--
        ``(1) enter into a cooperative arrangement with the 
    Commissioner of Social Security, pursuant to the authority of the 
    Commissioner under section 205(r)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 
    U.S.C. 405(r)(3)), to obtain information on individuals who are 
    deceased; and
        ``(2) use the information to verify and otherwise ensure that 
    benefits are not issued to individuals who are deceased.''.
    (b) Report.--Not later than September 1, 2000, the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall submit a report regarding the progress and 
effectiveness of the cooperative arrangements entered into by State 
agencies under section 11(r) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
2020(r)) (as added by subsection (a)) to--
        (1) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
    Representatives;
        (2) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of 
    the Senate;
        (3) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
    Representatives;
        (4) the Committee on Finance of the Senate; and
        (5) the Secretary of the Treasury.
    (c) Effective Date.--This section and the amendments made by this 
section take effect on June 1, 2000.
SEC. 2. STUDY OF NATIONAL DATABASE FOR FEDERAL MEANS-TESTED PUBLIC 
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct a study 
of options for the design, development, implementation, and operation 
of a national database to track participation in Federal means-tested 
public assistance programs.
    (b) Administration.--In conducting the study, the Secretary shall--
        (1) analyze available data to determine--
            (A) whether the data have addressed the needs of the food 
        stamp program established under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 
        U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
            (B) whether additional or unique data need to be developed 
        to address the needs of the food stamp program; and
            (C) the feasibility and cost-benefit ratio of each 
        available option for a national database;
        (2) survey the States to determine how the States are enforcing 
    the prohibition on recipients receiving assistance in more than one 
    State under Federal means-tested public assistance programs;
        (3) determine the functional requirements of each available 
    option for a national database; and
        (4) ensure that all options provide safeguards to protect 
    against the unauthorized use or disclosure of information in the 
    national database.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 
results of the study conducted under this section.
    (d) Funding.--Out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall provide to the 
Secretary of Agriculture $500,000 to carry out this section. The 
Secretary shall be entitled to receive the funds and shall accept the 
funds, without further appropriation.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.