II 112th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3632 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 15, 2012 Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to provide for the increased purchase of Kosher and Halal food and to modify the labeling of the commodities list under the emergency food assistance program to enable Kosher and Halal food bank operators to identify which commodities to obtain from local food banks.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Kosher and Halal Food Act of 2012.

2.

Purchase and distribution of Kosher and Halal food for emergency food assistance program

Section 202 of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7502) is amended by adding at the end the following: (h)

Kosher and Halal food

As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall finalize and implement a plan— (1)to increase the purchase of Kosher and Halal food from food manufacturers with a Kosher or Halal certification to carry out the program established under this Act if the Kosher and Halal food purchased is comparable in price to food that is not from food manufacturers with a Kosher or Halal certification; and (2)to modify the labeling of the commodities list used to carry out the program in a manner that enables Kosher and Halal food bank operators to identify which commodities to obtain from local food banks. .