[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 583 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 583

To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to improve nutrition assistance for 
       working families and the elderly, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 21, 2001

  Mr. Kennedy (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. 
 Graham, Mr. Chafee, and Mrs. Clinton) 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 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) Application.--This section and the amendments made by this 
section shall apply to assistance or benefits provided under the Food 
Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) for months beginning on or 
after 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) Application Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply on the later of--
            (1) July 1, 2002; or
            (2) at the option of a State agency of a State (as those 
        terms are defined in section 3 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 
        U.S.C. 2012)), October 1, 2002.

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), by striking ``to compensate'' and 
        all that follows through the period and inserting ``and 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 take 
effect on October 1, 2002.

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 for the 12-month period ending in the 
        preceding June, 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.--The Secretary, in 
partnership with State agencies, shall develop 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.
    ``(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 section 18 
        for each of fiscal years 2001 and 2002, 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 section 18 
        for each of fiscal years 2001 and 2002, 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.''.
                                 <all>