[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2142 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2142
To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to improve nutrition assistance for
working families and the elderly, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 12, 2001
Mr. Walsh (for himself, Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Diaz-Balart, Mr. Hall of
Texas, Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Leach, Ms. Lee,
Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Levin, Mrs. Morella, Mr. Towns, Mr. Quinn, Mr. Hinchey,
Mr. Foley, Mr. Coyne, and Ms. DeLauro) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to
the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to improve nutrition assistance for
working families and the elderly, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Nutrition Assistance for Working
Families and Seniors Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. RESTORATION OF FOOD STAMP BENEFITS FOR LEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
(a) Limited Eligibility of Qualified Aliens for Certain Federal
Programs.--
(1) In general.--Section 402(a) of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
(8 U.S.C. 1612(a)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking
``Federal programs'' and inserting ``Federal
program'';
(ii) in subparagraph (D)--
(I) by striking clause (ii); and
(II) in clause (i)--
(aa) by striking ``(i)
SSI.--'' and all that follows
through ``paragraph (3)(A)''
and inserting the following:
``(i) In general.--With respect to the
specified Federal program described in
paragraph (3)'';
(bb) by redesignating
subclauses (II) through (IV) as
clauses (ii) through (iv) and
indenting appropriately;
(cc) by striking
``subclause (I)'' each place it
appears and inserting ``clause
(i)''; and
(dd) in clause (iv) (as
redesignated by item (bb)), by
striking ``this clause'' and
inserting ``this
subparagraph'';
(iii) in subparagraph (E), by striking
``paragraph (3)(A) (relating to the
supplemental security income program)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (3)'';
(iv) in subparagraph (F);
(I) by striking ``Federal
programs'' and inserting ``Federal
program'';
(II) in clause (ii)(I)--
(aa) by striking ``(I) in
the case of the specified
Federal program described in
paragraph (3)(A),''; and
(bb) by striking ``; and''
and inserting a period; and
(III) by striking subclause (II);
(v) in subparagraph (G), by striking
``Federal programs'' and inserting ``Federal
program'';
(vi) in subparagraph (H), by striking
``paragraph (3)(A) (relating to the
supplemental security income program)'' and
inserting ``paragraph (3)''; and
(vii) by striking subparagraphs (I), (J),
and (K); and
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``means any'' and all that
follows through ``The supplemental'' and
inserting ``means the supplemental''; and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (B).
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 402(b)(2)(F) of the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(b)(2)(F)) is amended by striking
``subsection (a)(3)(A)'' and inserting ``subsection (a)(3)''.
(b) Five-Year Limited Eligibility of Qualified Aliens for Federal
Means-Tested Public Benefit.--Section 403 of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8
U.S.C. 1613) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(2), by adding at the end the
following:
``(L) Assistance or benefits under the Food Stamp
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).''; and
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) by striking ``not apply'' and all that follows
through ``(1) an individual'' and inserting ``not apply
to an individual''; and
(B) by striking ``; or'' and all that follows
through ``402(a)(3)(B)''.
(c) Authority for States To Provide for Attribution of Sponsor's
Income and Resources to the Alien With Respect to State Programs.--
Section 422(b) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1632(b)) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(8) Programs comparable to assistance or benefits under
the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).''.
(d) Requirements for Sponsor's Affidavit of Support.--Section
423(d) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1183a note; Public Law 104-193) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(12) Benefits under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2011 et seq.), if a sponsor is unable to make the reimbursement
because the sponsor experiences hardship (including bankruptcy,
disability, and indigence) or if the sponsor experiences severe
circumstances beyond the control of the sponsor, as determined
by the Secretary of Agriculture.''.
(e) Derivative Eligibility for Benefits.--Section 436 of the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
(8 U.S.C. 1646) is repealed.
(f) Effective Date; Application of Amendments.--
(1) Effective date--Except as provided in paragraph (2),
this section and the amendments made by this section shall take
effect on April 1, 2002.
(2) Application of amendments to current certification
periods.--The amendments made by subsections (a) through (d)
shall--
(A) not apply to certification periods that begin
before April 1, 2002, and end before or on October 1,
2002, unless the State agency (as defined in section 3
of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2012)) involved
elects to make such amendments applicable before the
respective ends of such periods, but not before April
1, 2002; and
(B) apply on October 1, 2002, to certification
periods that begin before April 1, 2002, and end after
October 1, 2002, unless the State agency involved
elects to make such amendments applicable to such
periods on a date before October 1, 2002, but not
before April 1, 2002.
SEC. 3. PREVENTION OF HUNGER AMONG FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.
(a) Standard Deduction.--Section 5(e) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977
(7 U.S.C. 2014(e)) is amended by striking paragraph (1) and inserting
the following:
``(1) Standard deduction.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
Secretary shall allow a standard deduction for each
household in the 48 contiguous States and the District
of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin
Islands of the United States equal to the applicable
percentage established under subparagraph (C) of the
income standard of eligibility under subsection (c)(1).
``(B) Limitations.--The standard deduction for each
household in the 48 contiguous States and the District
of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Virgin
Islands of the United States under subparagraph (A)
shall not be--
``(i) less than $134, $229, $189, $269, and
$118, respectively; or
``(ii) more than the applicable percentage
specified in subparagraph (C) of the income
standard of eligibility established under
section (c)(1) for a household of 6 members.
``(C) Applicable percentage.--The applicable
percentage referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B)
shall be--
``(i) for fiscal year 2002, 8 percent;
``(ii) for fiscal year 2003, 8.5 percent;
``(iii) for fiscal year 2004, 9 percent;
``(iv) for fiscal year 2005, 9.5 percent;
and
``(v) for each subsequent fiscal year, 10
percent.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on--
(1) July 1, 2002; or
(2) October 1, 2002, if the State agency (as defined in
section 3 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2012))
involved elects to make such amendment effective on such later
date.
SEC. 4. ENCOURAGEMENT OF COLLECTION OF CHILD SUPPORT.
(a) In General.--Section 5(e)(2) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 2014(e)(2)) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``and child support'' after ``income'';
(2) in subparagraph (A) by--
(A) striking ``Definition of'' and all that follows
through ``not include'' and inserting ``Limitation on
deduction.--The deduction in this paragraph shall not
apply to'';
(B) striking ``or'' at the end of clause (i);
(C) striking the period at the end of clause (ii)
and inserting ``; or''; and
(D) adding at the end the following:
``(iii) child support received to the
extent of any reduction in public assistance to
the household as a result of receiving such
support.''; and
(3) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) by striking ``with earned income''; and
(B) by striking ``of all'' and all that follows
through the period at the end, and inserting the
following:
``of the sum of--
``(i) all earned income; and
``(ii) child support received from an
identified or putative parent of a child in the
household if that parent is not a household
member.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on--
(1) July 1, 2002; or
(2) October 1, 2002, if the State agency (as defined in
section 3 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2012))
involved elects to make such amendment effective on such later
date.
SEC. 5. MINIMUM FOOD STAMP ALLOTMENT.
Section 8(a) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2017(a)) is
amended by striking ``shall be $10 per month.'' and inserting ``shall
be--
``(1) for each of fiscal years 2002 and 2003, $15 per
month;
``(2) for each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, $20 per
month;
``(3) for fiscal year 2006, $25 per month;
``(4) for fiscal year 2007 and each subsequent fiscal year,
the minimum allotment under paragraph (3), adjusted on each
October 1 to reflect the percentage change in the cost of the
thrifty food plan (as adjusted under section 3(o) without
regard to paragraphs (1) through (4) of such section) during
the period beginning on June 30, 2005, and ending on the most
recent June 30 preceding such fiscal year, rounded to the
nearest lower dollar increment.''.
SEC. 6. TRANSITIONAL BENEFITS OPTION.
(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:
``(s) Transitional Benefits Option.--
``(1) In general.--A State may provide transitional food
stamp benefits to a household that is no longer eligible to
receive cash assistance under a State program funded under part
A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et
seq.).
``(2) Transitional benefits period.--Under paragraph (1), a
household may continue to receive food stamp benefits for a
period of not more than 6 months after the date on which cash
assistance is terminated.
``(3) Amount.--During the transitional benefits period
under paragraph (2), a household shall receive an amount equal
to the allotment received in the month immediately preceding
the date on which cash assistance is terminated, adjusted for--
``(A) the change in household income as a result of
the termination of cash assistance; and
``(B) any changes in circumstances that may result
in an increase in the food stamp allotment of the
household and that the household elects to report (as
verified in accordance with standards established by
the Secretary).
``(4) Determination of future eligibility.--In the final
month of the transitional benefits period under paragraph (2),
the State agency may--
``(A) require a household to cooperate in a
redetermination of eligibility to receive uninterrupted
benefits after the transitional benefits period; and
``(B) renew eligibility for a new certification
period for the household without regard to whether the
previous certification period has expired.
``(5) Limitation.--A household sanctioned under section 6
shall not be eligible for transitional benefits under this
subsection.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 3 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2012)
is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the
following:
``(c) Certification Period.--
``(1) In general.--`Certification period' means the period
for which households shall be eligible to receive benefits
under this Act.
``(2) Duration.--
``(A) In general.--A certification period shall not
exceed 12 months, except that--
``(i) a certification period may be up to
24 months if all adult household members are
elderly or disabled; and
``(ii) a certification period may be
extended during the transitional benefits
period under section 11(s).
``(B) Extension.--The certification period may be
extended to the end of a transitional benefits period
established by a State under section 11(s).
``(3) Contact.--A State agency shall have at least 1
contact with each certified household--
``(A) at least once every 12 months; or
``(B) in a case in which the household is in a
transitional benefits period under section 11(s),
within the 6-month period beginning on the date on
which cash assistance is terminated.''.
(2) Section 6(c) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2015(c)) is amended by striking ``No household'' and inserting
``Except in a case in which a household is receiving
transitional benefits during the transitional benefits period
under section 11(s), no household''.
SEC. 7. FOOD STAMP INFORMATION.
(a) Training Materials; Nutrition Information.--Section 11 of the
Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020) (as amended by section 6) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(t) Resources for State Agency Employees.--Of funds made
available under the 1st sentence of section 18(a) for fiscal years 2002
through 2006, $1,000,000 in the aggregate shall be expended by the
Secretary--
``(1) to develop, in partnership with State agencies,
training materials, guidebooks, and other resources for use by
employees of State agencies that focus on issues of access and
eligibility under the food stamp program; and
``(2) to make such materials, such guidebooks, and such
other resources available in appropriate formats to State
agencies for such use.
``(u) Nutrition Information.--The Secretary shall maintain a toll-
free information number for individuals to call to obtain information
concerning the nutrition programs.''.
(b) Inter-Program Coordination of Application and Verification
Process.--Section 17 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2026) is
amended by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
``(e) Pilot Projects for Inter-Program Coordination of Application
and Verification Process.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide the Federal
shares of funds to States to carry out pilot projects under
paragraph (2) to improve the application and verification
process for low-income working households to participate in the
food stamp program.
``(2) Eligible projects.--
``(A) Inter-program application process.--
``(i) Application at one-stop delivery
centers.--The Secretary shall provide funding
to not more than 5 States to conduct pilot
projects to improve inter-program coordination
by co-locating employees and automated systems
necessary to accept complete initial processing
of applications for assistance under this Act
at centers in one-stop delivery systems
established under section 134(c) of the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C.
2864(c)).
``(ii) Application for assistance under
medicaid/schip.--The Secretary shall provide
funding to not more than 5 States to conduct
pilot projects to improve inter-program
coordination by co-locating employees and
automated systems necessary to accept complete
initial processing of applications for
assistance under this Act at locations where
applications are received for assistance under
titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq. and 1397aa et seq.).
``(B) Inter-program verification process.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
provide funding to not more than 5 States to
conduct pilot projects to reduce administrative
burdens on low-income working households by
coordinating, to the maximum extent
practicable, verification practices under this
Act and verification practices under titles XIX
and XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1396 et seq. and 1397aa et seq.).
``(ii) Eligibility.--To be eligible to
conduct a pilot project under clause (i), a
State must have an automation system with the
capacity to verify through electronic records
the most common sources of incomes under this
Act and titles XIX and XXI of the Social
Security Act.
``(iii) Administration.--The Secretary and
the Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall adjust procedures under this Act and
titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act,
to the extent each of the Secretaries
determines appropriate, to facilitate pilot
projects under clause (i).
``(3) Preferences.--In selecting pilot projects under this
subsection, the Secretary shall provide a preference to
projects that--
``(A) operate in rural areas; or
``(B) benefit low-income households residing in
remote rural areas.
``(4) Waiver.--To reduce travel and paperwork burdens on
eligible households, the Secretary may waive requirements under
sections 6(c) and 11(e)(3) for pilot projects conducted under
this subsection.
``(5) Evaluation of pilot projects.--Any State conducting a
pilot project under this subsection shall provide to the
Secretary, in accordance with standards established by the
Secretary, an evaluation of the effectiveness of the project.
``(6) Funding.--Of funds made available under the first
sentence of section 18(a) for each of fiscal years 2002 and
2003, the Secretary shall use--
``(A) $10,000,000 to pay 75 percent of the
additional costs incurred by State agencies to conduct
pilot projects under paragraph 2(A); and
``(B) $500,000 to pay 75 percent of the costs of
evaluating pilot projects conducted under paragraph
2(B).''.
(c) Innovative Participation Strategies.--Section 17 of the Food
Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2026) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(l) Innovative Out-of-Office Application and Participation
Strategies.--
``(1) In general.--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 instead of through in-office visits and interviews.
``(2) Preferences.--The Secretary shall provide a
preference under this subsection to projects that--
``(A)(i) are conducted in rural areas; or
``(ii) serve eligible households in remote
locations; and
``(B) are collaborative efforts between State
agencies and nonprofit community groups.
``(m) Grants for Partnerships and Technology.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide grants to
State agencies and nonprofit organizations to conduct projects
to improve access to the food stamp program through
partnerships and innovative technology.
``(2) Priority.--In providing grants under this subsection,
the Secretary shall give priority to projects that focus on
households with low food stamp participation.
``(n) Grants for Community Partnerships and Innovative Outreach
Strategies.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary 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 eligible households that
contain 1 or more members 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 if the households meet
the requirements of this Act;
``(B) to help ensure that households that have
applied for benefits under a State program established
under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act, but that did not
receive the benefits because of State requirements or ineligibility for
the benefits, are aware of the availability of, and are provided
assistance in receiving, benefits under this Act if the households meet
the requirements of this Act;
``(C) to conduct outreach to households 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 if
the households meet the requirements of this Act; and
``(D) to conduct outreach to households with
children if the households meet the requirements of
this Act.
``(2) Eligible organizations.--
``(A) In general.--Grants under paragraph (1) may
be provided to--
``(i) food banks, food rescue
organizations, faith-based organizations, and
other organizations that supply food to low-
income households;
``(ii) schools, school districts, health
clinics, non-profit day care centers, Head
Start agencies under the Head Start Act (42
U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), Healthy Start agencies
under section 301 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 241), and State agencies and
local agencies providing assistance under 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);
``(iii) local agencies that operate child
nutrition programs (as those terms are defined
in section 25(b) of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769f(b));
and
``(iv) other organizations designated by
the Secretary.
``(B) Geographical distribution of recipients.--
``(i) In general.-- Subject to clause (ii),
the Secretary shall select, from all eligible
applications, at least 1 recipient to receive a
grant under this subsection from--
``(I) each region of the Department
of Agriculture; and
``(II) in addition to recipients
selected under subclause (I), each
rural or urban area determined to be
appropriate by the Secretary.
``(ii) Exception.--The Secretary shall not
be required to award grants based on the
geographical guidelines under clause (i) to the
extent that the Secretary determines that an
insufficient number of eligible grant
applications has been received.
``(3) Criteria.--The Secretary shall develop criteria for
awarding grants under paragraph (1) that are based on--
``(A) the demonstrated record of an organization in
serving low-income households;
``(B) the ability of an organization to reach hard-
to-serve households;
``(C) the level of innovation in the proposals
submitted in the application of an organization for a
grant; and
``(D) the development of partnerships between the
public and private sector entities and the community.
``(4) Administration.--
``(A) Administrative costs.--Not more than 5
percent of the funds made available for the grant
program under paragraph (5) shall be used by the
Secretary for administrative costs incurred in carrying
out this subsection.
``(B) Program evaluations.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
conduct evaluations of programs funded by
grants under this subsection.
``(ii) Limitation.--Not more than 20
percent of funds made available for the grant
program under paragraph (5) shall be used for
program evaluations under clause (i).
``(5) Funding.--Of funds made available under the first
sentence of section 18(a) for each of fiscal years 2002 and
2003, the Secretary shall use $10,000,000 to carry out the
grant program under this subsection.''.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL COMMODITIES
UNDER EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
Section 214 of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C.
7515) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--In addition to any other funds that are
made available to carry out this section, there are authorized
to be appropriated to purchase and make available additional
commodities under this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2002 through 2006.
``(2) Direct expenses.--Not less than 50 percent of the
amount made available under paragraph (1) shall be used to pay
direct expenses (as defined in section 204(a)(2)) incurred by
emergency feeding organizations to distribute additional
commodities to needy persons.''.
SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, this Act and the
amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the 1st day of the 1st
month beginning more than 60 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
<all>