[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 17, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1137-S1138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4445. Mr. WYDEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 1383, to establish the Veterans Advisory Committee
on Equal Access, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. ___. PROGRAM FOR PROCUREMENT OF DOMESTICALLY GROWN
UNPROCESSED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
Section 6(f) of the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1755(f)) is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Pilot Project
for Procurement of'' and inserting ``Program for Procurement
of Domestically Grown'';
(2) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by striking ``conduct a pilot project'' and inserting
``carry out a program (referred to in this subsection as the
`program')'';
(B) by inserting ``domestically grown'' before
``unprocessed''; and
(C) by striking ``8'' and inserting ``14'';
(3) by striking ``pilot project'' each place it appears and
inserting ``program'';
(4) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by inserting ``domestically grown'' before
``unprocessed'';
(5) in paragraph (3)(B), in the matter preceding clause
(i), by striking ``1 project is located in a State'' and
inserting ``2 projects are located in 1 or more States'';
(6) in paragraph (4)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as
subparagraphs (E) and (F), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
``(B) the demonstrated commitment of the State to support
small, local, and socially disadvantaged farmers;
``(C) the demonstrated commitment of the State to support
Tribal agricultural producers and communities utilizing
traditional foods;
``(D) whether the State will serve a high proportion of
children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds in carrying
out the program;'';
(7) in paragraph (5)--
(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``Recordkeeping
and reporting'' and inserting ``Recordkeeping, reporting, and
evaluation'';
(B) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) in clause (i), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(ii) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) the challenges and opportunities presented by the
program in the State.''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) Program evaluation.--
``(i) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this subparagraph, the Secretary shall evaluate
the impact of the program, including with respect to--
``(I) the quantity and cost of each type of unprocessed
fruit and vegetable procured by each State under the program;
[[Page S1138]]
``(II) the benefit of the procured unprocessed fruits and
vegetables to school food service in each State, including
the benefit to meeting school meal requirements;
``(III) the economic impact of the program on agricultural
producers in the State;
``(IV) the economic, geographic, social, and administrative
barriers to participation, including the reimbursement
process, experienced by agricultural producers and school
food authorities; and
``(V) eligibility requirements for agricultural producers,
including any barriers to becoming approved vendors.
``(ii) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of
enactment of this subparagraph, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of
the Senate a report that describes the results of the
evaluation conducted under clause (i) and an analysis of that
evaluation.''; and
(8) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Funding.--
``(A) Mandatory funding.--There is appropriated to carry
out this subsection $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026
through 2030.
``(B) Reservation for administrative costs; technical
assistance.--
``(i) In general.--Of the funds appropriated under
subparagraph (A) for each fiscal year, $10,000,000 shall be
reserved for States selected under the program under
paragraph (1) to carry out the activities described in clause
(ii)(I).
``(ii) Administrative costs; technical assistance.--
``(I) In general.--The funds reserved under clause (i)
shall be used--
``(aa) for the administrative costs of carrying out the
program, including costs of satisfying record keeping and
reporting requirements;
``(bb) to coordinate among or share with agencies and
departments involved in carrying out the program in the
State; and
``(cc) to provide technical assistance and outreach to--
``(AA) vendors to become certified to participate in the
program; and
``(BB) school food authorities, regional food hubs, State
and local agencies, Indian Tribal organizations, agricultural
producers, socially disadvantaged farmers, and other entities
to participate in the program.
``(II) Minimum allotment.--Of the funds reserved under
clause (i), each State selected under paragraph (3)(A) shall
receive not less than $500,000 for each fiscal year during
which the State participates in the program.
``(C) Reservation for technical assistance to
nonparticipating states.--Of the funds appropriated under
subparagraph (A) for each fiscal year, $1,000,000 shall be
reserved--
``(i) only if there are fewer than 14 States participating
in the program that fiscal year; and
``(ii) to provide technical assistance with eligibility
requirements for States seeking to participate in the
program.''.
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