Food and nutrition security

(a)

Declaration of policy

Section 2 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011) is amended by adding at the end the following: Congress recognizes that the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under this Act reduces food insecurity for tens of millions of households, yet more than 10,000,000 households still suffer from food insecurity, according to the Department of Agriculture. Congress also recognizes that, according to the Department of Agriculture, approximately half of all adults in the United States (117,000,000 people) have 1 or more preventable chronic diseases, many of which are related to poor quality eating patterns. Accordingly, it is the policy of Congress that the Department of Agriculture should administer the supplemental nutrition assistance program in a manner that will further reduce food insecurity, increase nutrition security, and improve the diet quality for low-income people in the United States, especially children. Food programs administered by the Department of Agriculture should simultaneously combat food insufficiency and diet-related chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer, which cause immense suffering, significantly increase already high health care spending, increase poverty, and undermine military readiness..(b)

Definitions

Section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012) is amended—(1)by redesignating subsections (h) through (k), (l), (m), and (n) through (v) as subsections (i) through (l), (n), (o), and (q) through (y), respectively;(2)by inserting after subsection (g) the following:

(h)

Diet quality

The term diet quality means the extent to which a set of foods aligns with key recommendations of the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans published under section 301 of the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5341).

;

(3)by inserting after subsection (l) (as so redesignated) the following:

(m)

Food security

The term food security means access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.

; and

(4)by inserting after subsection (o) (as so redesignated) the following:

(p)

Nutrition security

The term nutrition security means consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, affordable foods essential to optimal health and well-being.

(c)

Data collection and sharing

Section 9 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2018) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(k)

Store-level data collection and sharing

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall collect the data described in paragraph (2) from a sufficient number of retail food stores approved for participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program that utilize an integrated electronic cash register system to enable the Secretary to provide State- and nationally-representative data in the reports required under section 31. (2)

Data described

The data referred to in paragraph (1) is store-level point-of-sale data that identifies the specific food items acquired at a retail food store by eligible households using benefits. (3)

Paperwork Reduction Act

Chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the Paperwork Reduction Act), shall not apply to this subsection.

(d)

State reports under nutrition education and obesity prevention grant program

Section 28(c)(9) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036a(c)(8)) is amended—(1)in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking and at the end;(2)in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and(3)by adding at the end the following:

(E)a description of actions taken by the State to enhance the food security and nutrition security of participants in the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and(F)recommendations, if applicable, regarding administering the supplemental nutrition assistance program in a manner that would enhance food security and nutrition security in the State.

(e)

Food and nutrition security

The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

31.

Food and nutrition security report; food sales report

(a)

Food and nutrition security report

(1)

In general

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report on food security and nutrition security in the United States.(2)

Contents

A report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include—(A)an analysis of the food security, nutrition security, and diet quality of participants and nonparticipants in the supplemental nutrition assistance program;(B)(i)a summary of changes made to the supplemental nutrition assistance program in the year covered by the report that are intended to improve food security, nutrition security, and diet quality; and(ii)an analysis of the impact and effectiveness of those changes on food security, nutrition security, and diet quality; and(C)recommendations for additional authority to the Secretary to improve food security, nutrition security, and diet quality for participants in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.(b)

Food sales report

(1)

In general

Not later than September 30, 2025, and at least once every 4 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives, and make publicly available on the website of the Department of Agriculture, a report on food sales in the supplemental nutrition assistance program, including an analysis of the specific food items acquired with benefits by eligible households.(2)

Data

A report under paragraph (1) shall use store-level data collected pursuant to section 9(k).(3)

Privacy

For each report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall aggregate or deidentify data in a manner sufficient to ensure that the identity of participants or retailers associated with the data cannot be ascertained.