[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1800 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1800
To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to improve onsite inspections of
State food stamp programs, to provide grants to develop community
partnerships and innovative outreach strategies for food stamp and
related programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 27, 1999
Mr. Graham introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to improve onsite inspections of
State food stamp programs, to provide grants to develop community
partnerships and innovative outreach strategies for food stamp and
related 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 ``Food Stamp
Outreach and Research for Kids Act of 1999''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
Sec. 101. Food stamp participation.
Sec. 102. Food stamp inspections.
Sec. 103. Caseworker materials demonstration program.
Sec. 104. Food stamp studies.
Sec. 105. Grants for community partnerships and innovative access and
innovation strategies.
Sec. 106. Demonstration projects for online and telephone participation
in food stamp program.
Sec. 107. Nutrition information.
Sec. 108. General Accounting Office reports.
TITLE II--MEDICAID AND FOOD STAMP INFORMATION THROUGH TANF PROGRAM AND
TAX CREDIT
Sec. 201. Information provided to individuals regarding eligibility
under food stamp program.
Sec. 202. Credit for expansion of toll-free information number.
TITLE I--FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
SEC. 101. FOOD STAMP PARTICIPATION.
Section 11(e)(1)(A) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2020(e)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ``at the option of the State
agency,''.
SEC. 102. FOOD STAMP INSPECTIONS.
Section 16 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2025) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(l) Food Stamp Inspections.--
``(1) Mandatory inspections.--During the period beginning
on the date of enactment of this subsection, and ending on
September 30, 2002, the Secretary shall carry out an annual
onsite inspection or review of the operation of the food stamp
program by each State agency.
``(2) Visit.--The Secretary shall include as part of each
inspection or review under paragraph (1) a visit to a State or
local agency office.''.
SEC. 103. CASEWORKER MATERIALS DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
Section 16 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2025) (as
amended by section 102) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(m) Caseworker Demonstration Program.--The Secretary shall
conduct a demonstration program, through State agencies and in
consultation with State caseworkers, to develop training materials,
guidebooks, and other resources for use by State caseworkers that focus
on issues of access and eligibility under the food stamp program.''.
SEC. 104. FOOD STAMP STUDIES.
Section 18 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2027) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Food Stamp Studies.--
``(1) In general.--To assist in formulating nutrition
policy and to assess the potential costs and benefits of
legislative proposals, the Secretary, acting through the
Director of the Food and Nutrition Service, shall conduct--
``(A) a study to measure the impacts of the food
stamp program; and
``(B) a study to measure the integrity of the food
stamp program.
``(2) Report.--As soon as practicable after the date of
completion of each study under paragraph (1), but not later
than 2 years after that date, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the
Senate a report describing the results of the study.
``(3) Funding.--Funds made available under this section may
be used by the Secretary to conduct the studies under paragraph
(1).''.
SEC. 105. GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND INNOVATIVE ACCESS AND
INNOVATION STRATEGIES.
Section 18 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2027) (as
amended by section 104) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Grants for Community Partnerships and Innovative Access and
Innovation Strategies.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary, in consultation with
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish a
program to award grants to eligible organizations described in
paragraph (2)--
``(A) to develop and test innovative strategies to
ensure that low income, needy families that are former
or current recipients of benefits under a State program
established under part A of title IV of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) continue to
receive benefits under this Act;
``(B) to help ensure that families that have
applied for benefits under a State program established
under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 601 et seq.), but that did not receive the
benefits because of State diversion strategies or
ineligibility for the benefits, are aware of the
availability of, and are provided assistance in
receiving, benefits under this Act;
``(C) to place special emphasis on conducting
outreach to families with earned income that is at or
above the income eligibility limits for benefits under
a State program established under part A of title IV of
the Social Security Act; and
``(D) to conduct outreach to families with
children.
``(2) Eligible organizations.--
``(A) In general.--Grants under paragraph (1) may
be awarded to--
``(i) food banks, food rescue, faith-based,
and other community-based programs, except that
the total amount awarded to such organizations
shall be not less than 15 percent of the
aggregate amount of grants awarded under this
subsection;
``(ii) schools, health clinics, day care
centers, Head Start programs carried out under
the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.),
Healthy Start programs carried out under
section 301 of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 241), public health or welfare and
private nonprofit health or welfare agencies
providing assistance under the Child Nutrition
Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), and other
organizations conducting medicaid and State
Children's Health Insurance Program outreach,
except that the total amount awarded to such
organizations shall be not less than 15 percent
of the aggregate amount of grants awarded under
this subsection;
``(iii) States and political subdivisions
of States; and
``(iv) other organizations designated by
the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation
with the Secretary of Health and Human
Services.
``(B) Geographical distribution of recipients.--
``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii),
the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation
with the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, shall select, from all eligible
applications received, at least 1 recipient to
receive a grant under this section from each
region of the Department of Agriculture, and
each additional rural or urban area determined
to be appropriate by the Secretary of
Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
``(ii) Exception.--The Secretary of
Agriculture may not select grant recipients
under clause (i) if the Secretary determines
that an insufficient number of eligible grant
applications has been received.
``(3) Selection.--The Secretary of Agriculture, in
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
shall develop criteria for selecting recipients of grants under
paragraph (1) that include the consideration of--
``(A) the demonstrated track record of an
organization in serving low income populations;
``(B) the ability of an organization to reach hard-
to-serve populations;
``(C) the level of innovative proposals in the
application of an organization for a grant; and
``(D) the development of partnerships between
public and private sector entities and linkages with
the community.
``(4) Administration.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture, in
consultation with Secretary of Health and Human
Services, shall administer the grant program under this
section.
``(B) Administrative costs.--Not more than 5
percent of funds made available for the grant program
shall be used by the Secretary of Agriculture or the
Secretary of Health and Human Services for
administrative costs.
``(C) Program evaluations.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary of
Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and
Human Services shall jointly conduct
evaluations of programs funded by grants under
this section.
``(ii) Limitation.--Not more than 20 percent
of funds made available for the grant program
shall be used for program evaluations described
in clause (i).''.
SEC. 106. DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS FOR ONLINE AND TELEPHONE PARTICIPATION
IN FOOD STAMP PROGRAM.
Section 18 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2027) (as
amended by section 105) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(i) Online and Telephone Participation in Food Stamp Program.--
The Secretary shall conduct demonstration projects to evaluate the
feasibility and desirability of allowing eligible households to
participate in the food stamp program through the use of the Internet
and telephones.''.
SEC. 107. NUTRITION INFORMATION.
Section 18 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2027) (as
amended by section 106) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Nutrition Information.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture, in
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
shall--
``(A) facilitate partnerships to provide
information on nutrition programs described in
paragraph (3); and
``(B) maintain a toll-free information number for
individuals to call to obtain information concerning
the nutrition programs.
``(2) Partnerships.--
``(A) In general.--To carry out paragraph (1)(A),
the Secretary shall facilitate partnerships composed
of--
``(i) public agencies and organizations;
and
``(ii) entities and organizations from the
private sector.
``(B) Tax credit.--An entity or organization that
participates in a partnership under this section to
maintain the toll-free information number described in
paragraph (1)(B) shall be eligible to receive a tax
credit as provided in section 45D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter
1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to business related
credits).
``(3) Information.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary shall provide--
``(A) information concerning all Federal nutrition
programs, including the food stamp program and child
nutrition programs (as defined in section 25(b) of the
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769f(b));
``(B) information that meets the requirements of
section 11(e)(1)(B) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 2020(e)(1)(B)), regarding individuals that
primarily speak a language other than English; and
``(C) access to an individual to provide
information and clarification that is unavailable
through an automated phone information system.''.
SEC. 108. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE REPORTS.
Section 18 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2027) (as
amended by section 107) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(k) General Accounting Office Reports.--
``(1) Negative case error rates.--Not later than 2 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General of the United States, in consultation with the
Secretary, shall repeat the study conducted in 1987 to verify
negative case error rates under the food stamp program.
``(2) Food stamp outreach strategies.--Not later than 2
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller
General of the United States, in consultation with the
Secretary, shall conduct a study on State and locally-based
food stamp outreach strategies that--
(1) examines State policies, including the effectiveness
of--
(A) extending office hours and adding weekend
hours; and
(B) other outreach strategies employed; and
(2) determines how often strategies described in paragraph
(1) are employed, including the methods by which the strategies
are advertised by States and localities to the target
population.''.
TITLE II--MEDICAID AND FOOD STAMP INFORMATION THROUGH TANF PROGRAM AND
TAX CREDIT
SEC. 201. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO INDIVIDUALS REGARDING ELIGIBILITY
UNDER FOOD STAMP PROGRAM.
(a) Development of Model State TANF Program Application.--
(1) Development.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall develop a model application for
receiving benefits under a State TANF program (as
defined in subsection (e)).
(B) Information regarding eligibility for medicaid
and food stamps.--The first page of the model
application shall clearly inform an applicant that the
applicant may be eligible for benefits under the
medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) and the food stamp program
under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et
seq.), and inform the applicant on procedures for
applying for benefits at the appropriate State agency,
even if the applicant--
(i) is determined to be ineligible for
benefits under a State TANF program;
(ii) receives benefits under such a program
and is subsequently terminated from such a
program; or
(iii) is receiving a diversion payment
under such a program.
(2) Voluntary use by states.--Use of the model application
by the State agency or agencies that administer and supervise a
State TANF program shall be on a voluntary basis.
(b) Development of Notice Regarding Potential Continued Eligibility
Under Medicaid and Food Stamp Programs.--
(1) Development.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture,
shall develop a 1-page model notice that provides an applicable
individual with the information described in subsection
(a)(1)(B).
(2) Use by states.--
(A) Voluntary use.--Subject to subparagraph (B),
use of the notice by the State agency or agencies that
administer and supervise a State TANF program shall be
on a voluntary basis.
(B) Mandatory use.--
(i) In general.--If the Secretary of Health
and Human Services determines (for any period)
that a State is providing the information
described in subsection (a)(1)(B) to less than
75 percent of applicable individuals, such
State shall provide the notice to all
applicable individuals until such time as the
State demonstrates to the Secretary that the
State is providing such information to such
percentage of applicable individuals.
(ii) Applicable individual defined.--For
purposes of this subparagraph, the term
``applicable individual'' means an individual--
(I) who is determined to be
ineligible for benefits under a State
TANF program;
(II) whose benefits under such a
program have terminated; or
(III) who is receiving a diversion
payment under such a program.
(c) Form.--The model application developed pursuant to subsection
(a) and the notice developed pursuant to subsection (b) shall use
language that is concise and easily understandable by applicants under
a State TANF program.
(d) Distribution.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
distribute the model application developed pursuant to subsection (a)
and the notice developed pursuant to subsection (b) to the State agency
or agencies that administer and supervise a State TANF program.
(e) Definition of State TANF Program.--In this section, the term
``State TANF program'' means any State program established under part A
of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
SEC. 202. CREDIT FOR EXPANSION OF TOLL-FREE INFORMATION NUMBER.
(a) Tax Credit.--Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to business related
credits) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 45D. CREDIT FOR EXPANSION OF TOLL-FREE INFORMATION NUMBER.
``For purposes of section 38, the toll-free information number
credit of any taxpayer for any taxable year is 10 percent of the
expenses paid or incurred by the taxpayer during such taxable year as a
participant in the partnership described in section 17(o)(2) of the
Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2026(o)(2)).''.
(b) Credit Treated as Business Credit.--Section 38(b) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to current year business
credit) is amended by striking ``plus'' at the end of paragraph (11),
by striking the period at the end of paragraph (12) and inserting ``,
plus'', and by adding at the end the following:
``(13) the toll-free information number credit determined
under section 45D.''.
(c) Transitional Rule.--Section 39(d) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986 (relating to transitional rules) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
``(9) No carryback of section 45d credit before effective
date.--No portion of the unused business credit for any taxable
year which is attributable to the credit allowable under
section 45D may be carried back to a taxable year ending before
the date of the enactment of such section.''.
(d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart D of
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 45D. Credit for expansion of toll-
free information number.''.
(e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to payments made or incurred in taxable years beginning after the
date of enactment of this Act.
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