[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 27 (Friday, February 12, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S707-S710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Cassidy):
S. 308. A bill to establish a pilot program to address shortages of
testing equipment and personal protective equipment through enhanced
domestic production, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 308
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 ``Protecting Providers
Everywhere in America Act'' or the ``PPE in America Act''.
SEC. 2. DOMESTIC PPE PROCUREMENT PILOT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 319F-2(a) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b(a)) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(6) Domestic procurement pilot program.--
``(A) In general.--
``(i) Requirement to purchase domestic end products.--For
the period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, subject to
clause (ii), the Secretary shall ensure--
``(I) that not less than 40 percent of amounts made
available under this section for purposes of procuring
covered testing equipment and personal protective equipment
for the stockpile under paragraph (1) are allocated to
procurement of such equipment that is a domestic end product
(as defined in part 25.003 of the Federal Acquisition
Regulations maintained under section 1303(a)(1) of title 41,
United States Code (or any successor regulations))
manufactured by an entity or entities that enter into a
contract with the Secretary to sell such equipment to the
Secretary for such purpose; and
``(II) that additional amounts made available under this
section for the purposes described in subclause (I), up to
100 percent of such amounts, are allocated to procurement of
domestic end products as described in subclause (I), provided
that, with respect to any such procurement of domestic end
products in excess of the amount required under subclause
(I), domestic supply exists and the costs of procuring
equipment that is a domestic end product are not unreasonably
high compared to other equipment that is not a domestic end
product.
``(ii) Exception.--In the event that there is insufficient
domestic end product available for procurement to meet the
needs for certain covered testing equipment and personal
protective equipment for the stockpile under paragraph (1)
while satisfying the requirement of clause (i)(I), or that
the cost of procuring equipment that is a domestic end
product in quantities required under clause (i)(I) would be
unreasonably high compared to other equipment that is not a
domestic end product, clause (i)(I) shall apply with respect
to the applicable equipment only to the extent that such
equipment that is a domestic end product is available and to
the extent that the cost is not unreasonable, as applicable.
``(B) Sale or transfer of ppe.--
``(i) In general.--With respect to any covered testing
equipment and personal protective equipment in the stockpile
under paragraph (1), the Secretary--
``(I) shall assess the stock of such equipment on a regular
basis, and not less frequently than--
``(aa) twice per year, other than during periods described
in item (bb); or
``(bb) monthly, during any period in which the Secretary
determines it likely that such equipment will be deployed,
such as during a public health emergency;
``(II) shall communicate to manufacturers and suppliers of
such equipment to the stockpile under paragraph (1) if an
assessment under subclause (I) indicates that there will be
an increased need for such equipment;
``(III) may, at appropriate intervals and with respect to
any such equipment in such stockpile--
``(aa) transfer such equipment to other agencies or
operating divisions within the Department of Health and Human
Services, or to the Department of Defense, the Department of
Homeland Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or any
other Federal agency or department, in accordance with the
needs of such agencies, divisions, or departments; or
``(bb) sell such equipment to health care facilities at a
competitive price, as determined by the Secretary, taking
into account the current market pricing for the applicable
equipment and the operational budget for the stockpile; and
``(IV) may enter into a contract or cooperative agreement
with an entity that has expertise in supply chain logistics
and management to carry out the activities described in this
subparagraph.
``(ii) Group purchasing organizations and medical product
distributors.--In making sales under clause (i)(II)(bb), the
Secretary may transact with group purchasing organizations
and medical product distributors to facilitate timeliness,
logistical assistance, and appropriate pricing, and to
determine appropriate amounts of covered testing equipment
and personal protective equipment for applicable health care
facilities.
``(iii) Compensation to hhs.--
[[Page S708]]
``(I) Transfers from other agencies.--A Federal agency
receiving equipment as described in clause (i)(II)(aa) shall
transfer to the Secretary such amounts as the Secretary and
head of the applicable agency determine to be fair
compensation for such equipment.
``(II) Sales of ppe.--There shall be transferred from the
Treasury to the Secretary each fiscal year, for purposes of
procuring covered testing equipment and personal protective
equipment for the stockpile under paragraph (1), an amount
equal to the sum of the amount received in the previous
fiscal year from sales described in clause (i)(II)(bb).
``(C) Vendor-managed inventory.--For purposes of meeting
the goals under subparagraph (A), and to promote efficient
and predictable operations of the stockpile while mitigating
the risk of product expiration or shortages, the Secretary
may enter into arrangements, through a competitive bidding
process, with one or more manufacturers of domestic end
products to establish and utilize revolving stockpiles of
covered testing equipment and personal protective equipment
managed and operated by such manufacturer. Under such an
arrangement--
``(i) the manufacturer (or a subcontractor or agent of the
manufacturer)--
``(I) shall--
``(aa) produce or procure covered testing equipment or
personal protective equipment for the stockpile under
paragraph (1);
``(bb) maintain constant supply, possession, and re-
stocking capacity of such equipment in such quantities as the
Secretary requires for purposes of the stockpile under
paragraph (1); and
``(cc) fulfill or support the deployment, distribution, or
dispensing functions of the stockpile at the State and local
levels, consistent with paragraph (3); and
``(II) may sell or transfer such equipment for the purposes
of the manufacturer's existing inventory and commercial
contracts; and
``(ii) the Secretary shall--
``(I) compensate the manufacturer for the covered testing
equipment or personal protective equipment; and
``(II) pay a management fee, as appropriate.
``(D) Evaluation and report.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall--
``(I) conduct an evaluation of the program under this
paragraph;
``(II) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this paragraph, submit an interim report to Congress on
such program; and
``(III) not later than 5 years after the date of enactment
of this paragraph, complete such evaluation and submit to
Congress a final report on the program.
``(ii) Considerations.--The evaluation and reports under
clause (i) shall consider how the program has impacted the
continuity of stockpiling and readiness for the stockpile
under paragraph (1), implications of the program on the
domestic supply chain, cost effectiveness of the program, and
access to covered testing equipment and personal protective
equipment for the Federal agencies and health care facilities
pursuant to subparagraph (B)(i)(II).
``(E) Covered testing equipment and personal protective
equipment.--For purposes of this paragraph, the term `covered
testing equipment and personal protective equipment' means
diagnostic supplies (which may include test kits, reagents,
and swabs), respirators, masks, gloves, eye and face
protection, gowns, and any other appropriate ancillary
medical equipment or supplies related to testing or personal
protection that meet the Secretary's requirements for
inclusion in the stockpile under paragraph (1).''.
______
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Coons):
S. 309. A bill to give Federal courts additional discretion to
determine whether pretrial detention is appropriate for defendants
charged with nonviolent drug offenses in Federal criminal cases; to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 309
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 ``Smarter Pretrial Detention
for Drug Charges Act of 2021''.
SEC. 2. RELEASE CONDITIONS AND DETENTION IN FEDERAL CRIMINAL
CASES.
Section 3142 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``(42 U.S.C. 14135a)'' each place it
appears and inserting ``(34 U.S.C. 40702)''; and
(2) in subsection (e)(3)--
(A) by striking subparagraph (A); and
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (E)
as subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D), respectively.
______
By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mr. Cornyn):
S. 311. A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include
certain employment as a health care practitioner as eligible for public
service loan forgiveness, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Ms. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about an issue of
critical importance to California: doctor shortages.
First, I want to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to the
entire medical community, particularly the doctors, nurses, and support
staff who have been on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.
Amidst a severe shortage of protective equipment, they nevertheless
continue to work around the clock to save countless lives. I--and my
colleagues--are eternally grateful.
I have heard from countless Californians who have said the same
thing: we need more doctors.
That is why Congress established the Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Program in 2007 to encourage doctors to pursue careers at public and
nonprofit facilities, especially in areas experiencing physician
shortages. As a result, physicians who provide care in a nonprofit or
public hospital can have their student debt forgiven by the Public
Service Loan Forgiveness Program after making 120 qualifying monthly
payments under a qualifying repayment plan.
However, when the Department of Education issued implementing
guidance for the program, it unintentionally excluded California and
Texas physicians from being eligible to receive loan forgiveness by
requiring that borrowers be classified as employees in order to be
eligible for loan forgiveness.
The problem is that under state law in California and Texas, doctors
are prevented from being directly employed by corporations, including
nonprofit organizations. As a result, physicians in California and
Texas who provide medical services at nonprofit hospitals do not
currently qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
To make matters worse, the United States is facing a shortage of
physicians, especially in California.
The Council on Graduate Medical Education recommends 60 to 80 primary
care physicians per 100,000 people. However, statewide in California,
the number is already down to just 50 per 100,000 people. And in some
places, it is even lower: down to 35 primary care physicians per
100,000 people and 39 per 100,000 people in the Inland Empire and San
Joaquin Valley, respectively.
During this difficult and challenging time, it is clear that more
medical professionals are needed. And long after this pandemic ends, we
will still need more doctors to provide high-quality care, in both
rural and urban areas.
That is why I am pleased to introduce the bipartisan ``Stopping
Doctor Shortages Act.'' This legislation would help attract more
doctors to public service and address the looming physician shortage by
fixing a loophole that prevents thousands of doctors from participating
in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
According to the California Medical Association, this bill alone
could bring as many as 10,000 physicians to California over the next
ten years.
Similar legislation, soon to be introduced in the House by
Representatives Josh Harder, Jay Obernolte, Joaquin Castro, and Van
Taylor, also enjoys bipartisan support.
I would like to thank Senator John Cornyn for his support on this
critical issue and for cosponsoring the bill.
I ask my colleagues to join us to pass the ``Stopping Doctor
Shortages Act'' in a timely manner as we continue to find ways to
combat the coronavirus pandemic and save lives.
Thank you, Mr. President, I yield the floor.
______
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr.
Tillis, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Booker, and Mr. Wicker):
S. 312. A bill to expand eligibility for and provide judicial review
for the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program, provide for compassionate
release based on COVID-19 vulnerability, shorten the waiting period for
judicial review during the COVID-19 pandemic, and make other technical
corrections; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
[[Page S709]]
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 312
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 ``COVID-19 Safer Detention Act
of 2021''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF COVERED EMERGENCY PERIOD.
Section 12003(a)(2) of the CARES Act (18 U.S.C. 3621 note)
is amended--
(1) by striking ``ending on the date'' and inserting the
following: ``ending on the later of--
``(A) the date'';
(2) in subparagraph (A), as so designated, by striking the
``and'' at the end and inserting ``or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) the date that is 30 days after the date on which the
Bureau of Prisons ceases modified operations in response to
COVID-19; and''.
SEC. 3. HOME DETENTION FOR CERTAIN ELDERLY NONVIOLENT
OFFENDERS.
Section 231(g) of the Second Chance Act of 2007 (34 U.S.C.
60541(g)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following:
``(D) Judicial review.--
``(i) In general.--Upon motion of a defendant, on or after
the date described in clause (ii), a court may reduce an
imposed term of imprisonment of the defendant and substitute
a term of supervised release with the condition of home
detention for the unserved portion of the original term of
imprisonment, after considering the factors set forth in
section 3553(a) of title 18, United States Code, if the court
finds the defendant is an eligible elderly offender or
eligible terminally ill offender.
``(ii) Date described.--The date described in this clause
is the earlier of--
``(I) the date on which the defendant fully exhausts all
administrative rights to appeal a failure of the Bureau of
Prisons to place the defendant on home detention; or
``(II) the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the
date on which the defendant submits to the warden of the
facility in which the defendant is imprisoned a request for
placement of the defendant on home detention, regardless of
the status of the request.''; and
(2) in paragraph (5)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(ii)--
(i) by inserting ``including offenses under the laws of the
District of Columbia,'' after ``offense or offenses,''; and
(ii) by striking ``2/3 of the term of imprisonment to which
the offender was sentenced'' and inserting ``1/2 of the term
of imprisonment reduced by any credit toward the service of
the offender's sentence awarded under section 3624(b) of
title 18, United States Code''; and
(B) in subparagraph (D)(i), by inserting ``, including
offenses under the laws of the District of Columbia,'' after
``offense or offenses,''.
SEC. 4. COMPASSIONATE RELEASE TECHNICAL CORRECTION.
Section 3582 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting
after ``case'' the following: ``, including, notwithstanding
any other provision of law, any case involving an offense
committed before November 1, 1987''; and
(B) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) by inserting ``, on or after the date described in
subsection (d)'' after ``upon motion of a defendant''; and
(ii) by striking ``after the defendant has fully exhausted
all administrative rights to appeal a failure of the Bureau
of Prisons to bring a motion on the defendant's behalf or the
lapse of 30 days from the receipt of such a request by the
warden of the defendant's facility, whichever is earlier,'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections
(e) and (f), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
``(d) Date Described.--For purposes of subsection
(c)(1)(A), the date described in this subsection is the
earlier of--
``(1) the date on which the defendant fully exhausts all
administrative rights to appeal a failure of the Bureau of
Prisons to bring a motion on the defendant's behalf; or
``(2) the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the
date on which the defendant submits a request for a reduction
in sentence to the warden of the facility in which the
defendant is imprisoned, regardless of the status of the
request.''.
SEC. 5. TEMPORARY SHORTENING OF ADMINISTRATIVE EXHAUSTION.
Section 12003 of the CARES Act (18 U.S.C. 3621 note) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Compassionate Release.--For purposes of a motion
filed under section 3582(c)(1) of title 18, United States
Code, during the covered emergency period--
``(1) the 30-day waiting period requirement in section
3582(d)(2) shall be reduced to not more than 10 days; and
``(2) in the case of a defendant who is, according to
guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
considered to be at a higher risk for severe illness from
COVID-19, including because the defendant is 60 years of age
or older or has an underlying medical condition, such risk
shall be considered to be an extraordinary and compelling
reason under subparagraph (A)(i) of such section 3582(c)(1).
``(f) Nonviolent Elderly Offenders.--For the purpose of a
motion filed under subparagraph (D) of section 231(g)(1) of
the Second Chance Act of 2007 (34 U.S.C. 60541(g)(1)), during
the covered emergency period, the 30-day waiting period
requirement clause (ii)(II) of such subparagraph (D) shall be
reduced to 10 days.''.
______
By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Booker, Ms. Smith,
Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms.
Rosen, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Heinrich):
S. 313. A bill to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand
online benefit redemption options under the supplemental nutrition
assistance program, and for other purposes; to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 313
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 ``Expanding SNAP Options Act
of 2021''.
SEC. 2. ONLINE PORTAL FOR SNAP BENEFIT REDEMPTION.
Section 7(h)(14) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7
U.S.C. 2016(h)(14)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``Subject to
subparagraph (B), the'' and inserting ``The''; and
(2) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the
following:
``(B) EBT online redemption portal.--
``(i) Purpose.--The purpose of this subparagraph is to
expand options for and access to food for eligible households
by making the online redemption of program benefits,
including the acceptance of EBT cards, more widely available
to grocery stores, small retailers, and farmers who face
barriers in implementing their own online payment portals.
``(ii) Contracts.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of the Expanding SNAP Options Act of 2021, the
Secretary shall award on a competitive basis 1 or more
contracts to 1 or more eligible entities described in clause
(iii) to develop an online portal, to be known as the `EBT
Online Redemption Portal'--
``(I) to allow program participants to use online or mobile
electronic benefits transactions, including through the
acceptance of EBT cards, to purchase program foods from, and
make online payments to, authorized program retailers under
the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and
``(II) to facilitate food purchase delivery for program
participants using the transactions described in subclause
(I).
``(iii) Eligible entity.--An eligible entity referred to in
clause (ii) is any for-profit or nonprofit entity with
demonstrable expertise in the development, operation, or
maintenance of electronic payment systems (including systems
with advanced security protocols), which may include
expertise in benefits management or administration of State
systems, as determined by the Secretary.
``(iv) Application; portal features.--
``(I) Application.--An eligible entity shall submit to the
Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary may require,
including--
``(aa) a description of how the eligible entity plans to
implement the requirements described in clause (v); and
``(bb) a beta plan that has been user-tested.
``(II) Portal features.--In awarding a contract to an
eligible entity under clause (ii), the Secretary shall give
preference to an eligible entity that demonstrates an ability
to implement the following features of an EBT Online
Redemption Portal:
``(aa) Client-facing technology with a primary preference
for mobile device or smartphone application.
``(bb) Fail-safe systems to maintain privacy and online
security of data.
``(cc) Ability to redirect a consumer to an existing online
platform of a vendor, if applicable.
``(dd) Ability to update as technologies evolve.
``(ee) Ease of operation for program participants,
including multilingual functionality.
``(ff) Interoperability with delivery technologies and
interfaces.
``(gg) Identification of participating retailers within
geographic proximity to the user.
``(hh) Ability to perform single transactions using mixed
tender, including a single transaction for eligible food
items using an EBT card and noneligible items using another
form of payment.
``(ii) Adherence to a comprehensive business continuity and
disaster recovery plan--
``(AA) to allow the portal to recover from any interruption
of service; and
[[Page S710]]
``(BB) that includes sufficient back-up systems, equipment,
facilities, and trained personnel to implement the plan.
``(v) Requirements.--
``(I) In general.--The Online EBT Redemption Portal
developed by the eligible entity awarded the contract under
clause (ii) shall--
``(aa) enable the integrated processing of an online EBT
transaction by providing a platform and facilitating the
purchasing interaction between the consumer, retailer, third-
party processors (for EBT card processing and the secure
online entry of a personal identification number), and
delivery vendor, as applicable;
``(bb) to deter fraud, have in place for program
participants privacy and security protections, similar to
protections provided under existing electronic benefit
transfer methods, including entry of a personal
identification number in a manner that complies with the
guidelines of leading national consensus standards
organizations, as determined by the Secretary, for encrypting
personal identification number entry;
``(cc) be secure and operate in a manner that maintains
program integrity, including food item eligibility;
``(dd) be available in an initial or beta version not later
than 120 days after the date on which the eligible entity is
awarded the contract;
``(ee) be ready to be fully deployed in all States not
later than 180 days after the date described in item (dd);
``(ff) be available for use by any retail food store or
wholesale food concern authorized under section 9 to accept
and redeem benefits under the supplemental nutrition
assistance program--
``(AA) at no charge beyond a nominal fee that is not more
than reasonably necessary to support maintenance of the
portal and subject to the approval of the Secretary; and
``(BB) on an application-based and browser-based platform
for smartphones and a browser-based online platform for
tablets and computers;
``(gg) adhere to commercial standards for service level
availability to ensure the viability of the portal and the
use of the portal by retail food stores and wholesale food
concerns authorized under section 9 to accept and redeem
benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program;
and
``(hh) perform ongoing maintenance services and retailer
enrollment and termination of enrollment activities to ensure
continuous operability of the portal.
``(II) Evaluation of beta version.--The Secretary shall
conduct a review of the initial or beta version of the Online
EBT Redemption Portal under subclause (I)(dd), including by
soliciting feedback from program participants.
``(vi) Report to congress.--Not later than 240 days after
the date of enactment of the Expanding SNAP Options Act of
2021, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the
status of activities carried out under this subparagraph.
``(vii) Authorization of appropriations.--There is
appropriated to the Secretary, out of funds of the Treasury
not otherwise appropriated, $25,000,000 to provide under the
contract described in clause (ii).''.
SEC. 3. BROAD ACCEPTANCE OF SNAP BENEFITS THROUGH ONLINE
TRANSACTIONS.
Section 7(k) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7
U.S.C. 2016(k)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``on-line'' each place it appears and
inserting ``online'';
(2) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``Subject to paragraph (4), the'' and
inserting ``The''; and
(B) by inserting ``in any State'' after ``stores''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
``(4) Technical assistance.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Covered entity.--The term `covered entity' means a
public or private nonprofit entity.
``(ii) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a
retail food store or wholesale food concern authorized under
section 9 to accept and redeem benefits under the
supplemental nutrition assistance program.
``(B) Technical assistance center.--The Secretary, acting
through the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service,
shall, on a competitive basis, award 1 or more grants to, or
enter into 1 or more cooperative agreements with, 1 or more
covered entities to establish a technical assistance center,
to be known as the `SNAP Online Purchasing Technical
Assistance Center', to provide--
``(i) to State agencies, eligible entities, and program
participants information on and technical assistance with, as
applicable--
``(I) accepting program benefits through online
transactions;
``(II) using the EBT Online Redemption Portal described in
subsection (h)(14)(B);
``(III) in the case of State agencies, conducting outreach
to eligible entities to ensure that those eligible entities
are informed of the technical assistance provided by the
center;
``(IV) research, training, and best practices relating to
redeeming program benefits through online transactions; and
``(V) facilitating communication between eligible entities,
applicable State agencies, and the Department of Agriculture;
and
``(ii) to eligible entities direct grants to defray the
technological costs of carrying out the activities described
in subclauses (I) and (II) of clause (i).
``(C) Qualifications.--At least 1 covered entity that
receives a grant or enters into a cooperative agreement under
subparagraph (B) shall have expertise in providing technical
assistance to food retailers operating under a Federal
nutrition program.
``(D) Technical assistance priority.--In providing
technical assistance to eligible entities, the SNAP Online
Purchasing Technical Assistance Center shall give priority to
eligible entities that are small and limited-resource
retailers.
``(E) Funding.--There is appropriated to the Secretary, out
of funds of the Treasury not otherwise appropriated,
$75,000,000 to carry out this paragraph, to remain available
until expended, of which not more than 3 percent may be used
by the Secretary for administrative expenses.
``(5) Publication of online vendors.--The Secretary shall
maintain on the website of the Department of Agriculture a
publicly available listing, organized and searchable by
region, locality, and State, of all approved retail food
stores accepting benefits from recipients of supplemental
nutrition assistance, including through online
transactions.''.
____________________