[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 21, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2663-S2667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Chafee, Mr. McCain, Mrs. 
        Feinstein, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Wellstone, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
        Kennedy, Ms. Collins, Mr. Specter, Mr. Schumer, and Mrs. 
        Clinton):
  S. 582. A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act 
to provide States with the option to cover certain legal immigrants 
under the Medicaid and State children's health insurance program; to 
the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of Senators Chafee, 
McCain, Feinstein, Jeffords, Wellstone, Murray, Kennedy, Collins, 
Specter, Schumer, Clinton, and myself to introduce the Immigrant 
Children's Health Improvement Act of 2001.
  This bill will give States the option to provide Medicaid and CHIP 
coverage to immigrant children and pregnant women who arrived legally 
in this country after August 22, 1996. That is the date Congress passed 
the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act--
commonly known as welfare reform.
  The goal of that legislation was to encourage self-sufficiency in 
adults. But it also affected children, including immigrants, citizens, 
and those not yet born. The legislation cut off government-supported 
health care for all legal immigrants, regardless of their ages or 
circumstances.
  Census data released last week offered good news on the number of 
uninsured people in America. The data shows that the number of 
Americans without health insurance fell from 44.3 million to 42.6 
million in 1999. This is the first decline since 1987. But the news is 
not good for everyone who works hard in this country, who plays by the 
rules, who tries to build a better life for themselves and their 
families.
  What was not in the headlines is the fact that the proportion of 
immigrant children who are uninsured remains extremely high.

  A new report by the Urban Institute shows that in the last year, 
nearly half of low-income immigrant children in America had no health-
insurance coverage. In my State of Florida, that ratio is nearly three 
to one. This is just one of many reports that show that in our zeal to 
discourage dependency in adults, we unintentionally punished children.
  A study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities finds that the 
percentage of low-income immigrant children in publicly-funded 
coverage--which was low even before welfare reform--has fallen 
substantially.
  Florida is home to more than half a million uninsured children, many 
of whom are in this country legally or are citizens whose immigrant 
parents are ineligible for coverage and so think their children are 
similarly barred.
  Under this bill, States have the option of taking steps to change 
that by eliminating the arbitrary designation of August 22, 1996, as a 
cutoff date for allowing children to get health care. Giving States the 
option of providing this coverage to legal immigrant children and 
pregnant women would cover more than 200,000 people a year. States have 
asked for this option. Many are already trying to provide coverage but 
can't make up the holes in their budget.
  In their 2001 Winter Policy Report, the National Governors' 
Association endorsed this commonsense policy proposal. The National 
Council of State Legislators has also endorsed this bill. More than 200 
respected public-interest groups including Catholic Charities, the 
National Council of La Raza, the National Association of Public 
Hospitals, the National Immigration Law Center, the Children's Defense 
Fund, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all joined together 
in support of the bill. Beginning today and for months to come, these 
organizations will be holding events to rally behind this and other 
legislation that supports the goal of providing healthy solutions for 
hard-working American families.
  Under this umbrella, Senators Kennedy and Jeffords will be 
introducing legislation to restore food stamps to legal immigrants and 
Representatives Levin and Morella will be introducing a bill to protect 
immigrant women from domestic violence.
  Passage of the Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act is an 
important step in revisiting the welfare reform legislation.
  What we now realize, years after passing that landmark law, is that 
legal immigrant children are, as much as citizen children, the next 
generation of Americans. Providing Medicaid and CHIP to legal immigrant 
children is critical in order to guarantee that generation can be 
healthy and productive members of their adopted country.
  We call upon Congress and the President to act this year and pass 
this important bill.
                                   ____
                                 
      By Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. Specter, Mr. Leahy, Mr. 
        Jeffords, Mr. Graham, Mr. Chafee, and Mrs. Clinton):
  S. 583. A bill to amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to improve 
nutrition assistance for working families and the elderly, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, today Senator Specter, Senator Leahy, 
Senator Jeffords, Senator Graham, Senator Chafee, and I introduce the 
bipartisan ``Nutrition Assistance for Working Families and Seniors 
Act.'' Our goal is to repair specific holes that time has worn in the 
nation's core nutrition safety net--the Food Stamp Program.
  Hunger is a silent crisis affecting families all across America. No 
corner of our land is immune from this tragedy.
  The Nation can well afford to ensure that the average food stamp 
benefit of

[[Page S2664]]

79 cents per meal is available to everyone who truly needs it. In a 
time of economic prosperity, the moral imperative to feed the hungry 
may be clearest. But in a time of economic uncertainty, the need to 
feed the hungry should be clearest.
  The bottom line is that too many working families and seniors in 
America have trouble putting enough food on the table. On February 26, 
2001, the New York Times included a compelling account of the 
difficulties faced by the Payne family from Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs. Payne 
states that ``it's difficult to work at a grocery store all day, 
looking at all the food I can't buy, so I imagine filling up my cart 
with one of those big orders and bringing home enough food for all my 
kids.'' She and her husband, a factory worker, routinely go without 
dinner to be sure that their four children have enough to eat. The 
Payne family was among thousands of working families that have recently 
turned to emergency food pantries and soup kitchens in search of help. 
The Payne family did not know that they were eligible for food stamps.
  Nationwide, participation in the Food Stamp Program has declined 34 
percent since 1996, four times faster than the decline in the poverty 
rate. This means that over 2 million fewer people who live in poverty 
are accessing food stamps today. Over a quarter of the reduction in 
food stamp participation between 1994 and 1998 resulted from welfae 
reform and its elimination of food stamp eligibility for legal 
immigrants, both by directly rendering legal immigrants ineligible for 
food stamps, and by discouraging their U.S. citizen children from 
accessing food stamps.
  The results are predictable. The U.S. Department of Agriculture 
determined that 4.9 million adults and 2.6 million children lived in 
households that experienced hunger during 1999. The Urban Institute 
finds that 33 percent of former welfare recipients have to skip or cut 
meals due to lack of food.
  The most vulnerable people among us--recent immigrants, children, and 
the elderly--are the ones who face the greatest difficulty. Republicans 
and Democrats agree that we need to work together in good faith to 
deliver senior citizens from having to choose between heating and 
eating, and from having to choose between paying for their prescription 
drugs or for their groceries. There is also widespread agreement that 
more must be done to end childhood hunger. A July 1999 General 
Accounting Office study concludes, ``Children's participation in the 
Food Stamp Program has dropped more sharply than the number of children 
living in poverty, indicating a growing gap between need and 
assistance.''

  Sadly, the enormity of this crisis is confirmed by a major study 
released today by the Urban Institute's National Survey of America's 
Families, which focuses upon the impact that welfare reform has had on 
the children of immigrants. The report finds that 80 percent of the 
children of immigrants are United States citizens, but the immigrant 
status of parents prevents these citizen children from receiving the 
aid they need. According to the Urban Institute, 24 percent of children 
of immigrants live in poverty compared to 16 percent of children of 
citizens, and 37 percent of children of immigrants live in households 
that have difficulty putting enough food on the table each month, 
compared to 27 percent of children of citizens.
  The report also shows that access to public benefits makes a 
difference for immigrant families. Largely because Massachusetts pays 
to provide food stamps to all legal immigrants, food insecurity rates 
there are relatively similar for children of immigrants and children of 
citizens 28 percent of immigrant children versus 22 percent of native 
children). Texas provides no such benefit, however, and this fact is 
reflected in its food insecurity rates. Over 49 percent of children of 
immigrants lack secure access to adequate nutrition in Texas, compared 
to a third of children of citizens.
  While hunger and malnutrition are serious problems for people of all 
ages, their effects are particularly damaging to children. Hungry and 
undernourished children are more likely to become anemic and to suffer 
from allergies, asthma, diarrhea, and infections. They are also more 
likely to have behavioral problems and difficulty in learning. When 
children arrive at school hungry, they cannot learn. If we do not 
address this silent crisis, our considerable investments in education 
and early learning activities will not have the full positive impact 
that they should. Clearly more must be done for both the children of 
citizens and the children of immigrants.
  A strong Food Stamp Program is essential to ensure that all people in 
America can get the food they need to stay healthy. In seven common 
sense steps, this bill reaches goals shared by Republicans and 
Democrats alike--promoting self-sufficiency, encouraging transitions 
from welfare to work, and eradicating hunger among children and 
seniors.
  First, this bill restores eligibility for food stamps to all legal 
immigrants, a matter of fundamental fairness and basic need. The Kaiser 
Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured reports that immigrant 
families on average pay $80,000 more in taxes than they receive in 
local, state, and federal benefits over a lifetime. For 30 years prior 
to welfare reform, food stamps were available to legal immigrants, and 
as today's Urban Institute report confirms, legal immigrants are now 
among those most in need of nutritional assistance. Our laws recognize 
that legal immigrants need access to employment, education, and health 
care, yet all of these efforts are compromised when legal immigrants 
are denied access to basic nutrition.

  The effort to prevent legal immigrants from accessing food stamps 
never made sense from a policy perspective, and I am pleased to see 
considerable bipartisan momentum building to restore eligibility. Our 
key allied in the effort to restore eligibility include the National 
Conference of State Legislatures, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the 
National Association of Counties, the National Black Caucus of State 
Legislators, the Hispanic Caucus, leaders of all major religious 
denominations, and over 1,400 immigration, hunger, and social justice 
organizations that are active in every state. Over twenty newspapers 
have published editorials urging restoration of food stamp eligibility 
to legal immigrants. With such strong and broad public support, I am 
hopeful that immigrants will not have to wait another year to have 
their access to basic nutrition restored.
  Second, this bill ends the child penalty under current food stamp 
law. Just as the marriage penalty in our tax code unfairly penalizes 
some couples, existing law unfairly limits nutritional assistance to 
some families with children. This bill fixes the problem by indexing 
the food stamp standard deduction to family size in a way that simply 
ensures that every family that is in deep poverty, with earnings under 
10 percent of the poverty limit, will receive the maximum current food 
stamp benefit regardless of family size. Over half of the benefit from 
this provision will go to working families.
  Third, this bill addresses a core nutritional concern of senior 
citizens and other low-income families on fixed incomes, many of whom 
qualify for the minimum food stamp benefit. The food stamp minimum 
benefit has remained at $10 since 1977. This bill raises the minimum 
benefit to $25 over the course of five years, and then indexes it to 
inflation.
  Fourth, this bill ensures that food stamp law treats child support 
payments like income when calculating benefits, by disregarding 20 
percent of these payments in the benefit determinations. This measure 
is consistent with last year's overwhelming House approval of a plan to 
encourage states to pass more child support payments through to low-
income families. Parents who know that their children will directly 
benefit if they pay their child support are more likely to remain on 
the job, pay their child support, and, most importantly, remain 
involved with their children.
  Fifth, this bill gives states more options for helping families make 
the transition from welfare to work. Current food stamp law allows a 3-
month state option for a transitional food stamp benefit. This bill 
mirrors Medicaid's six-month Medicaid transitional benefit for food 
stamps, simplifying state recordkeeping, increasing state flexibility, 
and helping TANF families transition to work.

[[Page S2665]]

  Sixth, this bill improves access to food stamp information, helping 
to ensure that families like the Paynes are aware of the help that 
remains available to them. It helps rural families apply for food 
stamps using online and telephone systems, eliminating the need to 
travel to food stamp offices. It also supports stronger public-private 
partnerships that generate and distribute information about the 
nation's nutrition assistance program.
  Finally, this bill increases federal support for emergency food 
programs, 71 percent of which are operated by faith based 
organizations. Sharp increases in requests for help from food pantries 
and soup kitchens have occurred over the past year despite steep 
declines in food stamp participation. Many food banks find themselves 
unable to meet the increased requests for help. Nationally, the U.S. 
Conference of Mayors and America's Second Harvest have independently 
documented a 15 to 20 percent increase in needs over 1998. 79 percent 
of Massachusetts food pantries funded through Project Bread reported 
serving more working poor in 1998, and 72 percent reported helping more 
families with children. To ensure that emergency food needs are met 
without unnecessarily tapping Food Stamp resources, this bill increases 
funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program by 10 percent.
  The total cost of this bill amounts to about $2.75 billion over five 
years, which would increase the cost of the Food Stamp Program by about 
2 percent. This bill's cost is also modest in relation to the current 
ten-year non-Social surplus--it uses but 0.2 percent of the projected 
federal surplus.
  We've often heard that hunger has a cure. This is a call to action, 
not a truism, for the many people who have cooperated in developing 
this legislation. I'm proud to work with them for its prompt passage.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of this bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 583

       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

[[Page S2666]]

     ``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

[[Page S2667]]

     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.''.
                                 ______