[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8852 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8852

   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
          program on food insecurity, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 15, 2022

   Ms. Jacobs of California (for herself, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Levin of 
 California, and Ms. Speier) introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
          program on food insecurity, 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 ``End Veteran Hunger Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PILOT PROGRAM ON FOOD 
              INSECURITY.

    (a) Authority.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, acting through 
the Director of the National Nutrition and Food Services Office, shall 
carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall--
            (1) make grants to eligible entities for the purpose of 
        supporting partnerships that address food insecurity among 
        veterans and family members of veterans, including veterans who 
        receive services through Vet Centers or other facilities of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs as determined by the Secretary; 
        and
            (2) make grants to eligible entities for the purpose of 
        supporting partnerships that address food insecurity among 
        veterans who have recently transitioned from serving as members 
        of the Armed Forces to civilian life, and the family members of 
        such members.
    (b) Distribution and Duration of Grants.--
            (1) General grants.--The Secretary shall award at least 
        five grants under subsection (a)(1) to eligible entities that 
        principally serve Native Americans.
            (2) Transition grants.--The Secretary shall award at least 
        one grant under subsection (a)(2) in five different geographic 
        areas that the Secretary determines have a high rate of 
        individuals described in such paragraph.
            (3) Grant period.--A grant awarded to an eligible entity 
        under this section shall be for a period of two years, but the 
        Secretary may renew the grant for additional periods, subject 
        to subsection (h).
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Each grant awarded under this section 
        shall be used to carry out either or both of the following 
        activities:
                    (A) Increasing access to, and enrollment in, 
                Federal assistance programs, including the supplemental 
                nutrition assistance program under the Food and 
                Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the 
                special supplemental nutrition program for women, 
                infants, and children established by section 17 of the 
                Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), the low-
                income home energy assistance program established under 
                the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 
                U.S.C. 8621 et seq.), and any other assistance program 
                that the Secretary determines advisable.
                    (B) Increasing participation in nutrition 
                counseling programs and providing educational materials 
                and counseling to veterans, and family members of 
                veterans, to address food insecurity and healthy diets 
                among those individuals.
            (2) Additional use.--In addition to being used to carry out 
        either or both of the activities specified in paragraph (1), 
        any grant awarded under this section may be used to provide 
        direct food assistance to covered individuals, or otherwise to 
        provide assistance to covered individuals in accessing food.
    (d) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary an application therefor at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require.
    (e) Selection of Recipients.--The Secretary shall select eligible 
entities that submit applications under subsection (d) for the award of 
grants using a competitive process that takes into account the 
following:
            (1) The capacity of the applicant entity to serve covered 
        individuals.
            (2) The demonstrated need of the population the applicant 
        entity would serve.
            (3) The demonstrated need of the applicant entity for 
        assistance from the grants.
            (4) The capacity of the applicant entity to serve covered 
        individuals from underserved or disadvantaged populations.
            (5) Such other criteria as the Secretary considers 
        appropriate.
    (f) Multiple Grants.--The Secretary may award grants to an eligible 
entity under both paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a).
    (g) Information.--
            (1) Collection.--The Secretary shall collect such 
        information from eligible entities that receive a grant under 
        this section as the Secretary determines appropriate to monitor 
        and evaluate the use of grants, including--
                    (A) data regarding the results or outcomes of the 
                services provided to covered individuals under the 
                grant; and
                    (B) data regarding how activities or programs 
                carried out under the grant contribute to specific 
                goals, including eligibility screening, application 
                assistance, and food insecurity.
            (2) Form and manner.--Information under paragraph (1) shall 
        be furnished in such form and manner as the Secretary may 
        specify.
    (h) Duration of Program.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot 
program under this section for a five-year period.
    (i) Reports Required.--
            (1) Reports.--
                    (A) Initial report.--Not later than three years 
                after the date on which the pilot program under this 
                section commences, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
                in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, 
                shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of 
                the House of Representatives and the Senate an initial 
                report on veteran food insecurity.
                    (B) Final report.--Not later than the two years 
                after the date on which the pilot program under this 
                section concludes, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
                in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, 
                shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of 
                the House of Representatives and the Senate a final 
                report on veteran food insecurity.
            (2) Matters.--Each report under paragraph (1) shall include 
        the findings of a study on the effectiveness of the grants made 
        under such pilot program (including an analysis of the data 
        specified in subsection (g)(1)), disaggregated by grants 
        awarded under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a), 
        respectively. With respect to grants awarded under such 
        paragraph (2), such study shall--
                    (A) measure the need for food assistance by 
                individuals described in such paragraph (2); and
                    (B) include a description of how improving access 
                to food during the period in which an individual 
                transitions from service in the armed forces to 
                civilian life affects the outcomes of the individual 
                and the family of the individual.
    (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for fiscal years 
2023 through 2027.
    (k) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``covered individual'' means any veteran or 
        family member described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection 
        (a).
            (2) The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a nonprofit organization;
                    (B) a veterans service organization;
                    (C) a Federal, State, or local government agency;
                    (D) an Indian Tribe or tribal organization;
                    (E) a community-based organization; or
                    (F) an institution of higher education.
            (3) The terms ``Indian Tribe'' and ``tribal organization'' 
        have the meanings given those terms in section 4 of the Indian 
        Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
        5304).
            (4) The term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
            (5) The term ``Native American'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 3765 of title 38, United States Code.
            (6) The term ``State'' means each of the several States, 
        territories, and possessions of the United States, the District 
        of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
            (7) The term ``veterans service organization'' means any 
        organization recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        for the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 
        38, United States Code.
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