[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2715 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2715
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish
a permanent, nationwide summer electronic benefits transfer for
children program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 10, 2015
Mrs. Davis of California introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish
a permanent, nationwide summer electronic benefits transfer for
children program.
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 ``Stop Child Summer Hunger Act of
2015''.
SEC. 2. SUMMER ELECTRONIC BENEFITS TRANSFER FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM.
Section 13(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
(42 U.S.C. 1761(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(13) Summer electronic benefits transfer for children
program.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Eligible household.--The term
`eligible household' means a household that
includes 1 or more children who are eligible to
receive free or reduced price lunches under
this Act or free or reduced price breakfasts
under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42
U.S.C. 1771 et seq.).
``(ii) Summer ebt card.--The term `summer
EBT card' means an electronic benefit transfer
card that is issued to an eligible household
under this paragraph and limited to food
purchases.
``(B) Program.--The Secretary shall establish a
program under which the Secretary shall provide to
eligible households summer EBT cards for the purpose of
providing access to food for children during summer
months--
``(i) to reduce or eliminate the food
insecurity and hunger of children; and
``(ii) to improve the nutritional status of
children.
``(C) Use.--An eligible household may use a summer
EBT card only to purchase food from retail food stores
that have been approved for participation in the
supplemental nutrition assistance program established
under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011
et seq.), in accordance with section 7(b) of that Act
(7 U.S.C. 2016(b)).
``(D) Amount.--Each summer EBT card issued shall be
in an amount of--
``(i) for calendar year 2017, $150 in food
assistance per child per summer; and
``(ii) for each subsequent calendar year,
the amount specified in clause (i) as adjusted
to reflect changes in reimbursement rates for
school meals under this Act between calendar
year 2017 and the most recent calendar year.
``(E) Timing.--Summer EBT cards shall be issued at
the end of the regular school year.
``(F) Funding.--
``(i) In general.--On October 1, 2016, and
on each October 1 thereafter, out of any funds
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the
Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to the
Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry
out this section, to remain available until
expended.
``(ii) Receipt and acceptance.--The
Secretary shall be entitled to receive, shall
accept, and shall use to carry out this section
the funds transferred under clause (i), without
further appropriation.
``(G) Regulations.--
``(i) In general.--Not later than October
1, 2016, the Secretary shall issue regulations
to carry out this paragraph.
``(ii) Requirements.--Regulations issued
under this subparagraph shall require that--
``(I) children shall be eligible to
participate and shall be enrolled into
the program under this paragraph for a
summer without further application if
the children are enrolled to
participate in the free or reduced
price lunch program under this Act or
the free or reduced price breakfast
program under the Child Nutrition Act
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) during
the school year immediately preceding
the summer; and
``(II) local educational agencies
shall distribute to the families of all
children enrolled in schools
participating in programs authorized
under this Act and the Child Nutrition
Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.)
and, to the maximum extent practicable,
the families of all children enrolled
in schools of the local educational
agency information, as provided by the
Secretary,--
``(aa) regarding the
program authorized under this
paragraph, including
eligibility rules and how
children in eligible households
that are not automatically
enrolled under subclause (I)
may apply for program benefits;
and
``(bb) to assist households
receiving summer EBT cards in
making healthy food choices and
maximizing resources.
``(iii) Alternative timing.--
``(I) In general.--In issuing
regulations under this subparagraph,
the Secretary shall allow alternative
plans for the timing of issuance of the
summer electronic benefit cards under
subparagraph (D) in any part of a State
in which the school year does not
include a typical summer break, on the
condition that the Secretary determines
that no alternative plan increases or
decreases Federal costs.
``(II) Considerations.--In
developing regulations under subclause
(I), the Secretary shall consider the
ability of a State effectively to issue
benefits under an alternative
schedule.''.
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