A bill to require semiannual indexing of mandatory Federal food assistance programs.

Summary: National Hunger Relief Act of 2008 - Amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to revise, and provide for increases in, the annual October adjustments to the thrifty food plan upon which supplemental nutrition assistance program (formerly, the food stamp program) benefits are based.

Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to provide semiannual reimbursement rate adjustments for: (1) national school lunch and breakfast programs; (2) the special milk program; (3) the child and adult day care program; and (4) the summer food service program.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Hunger Relief Act of 
2008''.

SEC. 2. NUTRITION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.--Section 3(u) of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(u)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(u) `Thrifty food plan' means'' and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(u) Thrifty Food Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--The term `thrifty food plan' means'';
            (2) in the second sentence--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (4) as 
                subparagraphs (A) through (D), respectively, and 
                indenting appropriately;
                    (B) by striking ``The cost of such diet'' and 
                inserting the following:
            ``(2) Adjustments.--The cost of the diet described in 
        paragraph (1)''; and
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (D) (as redesignated 
                by subparagraph (A)) and inserting the following:
                    ``(D)(i) on October 1, 2009, adjust the cost of the 
                diet to reflect 102 percent of the cost of the diet in 
                the preceding June, and round the result to the nearest 
                higher dollar increment for each household size, except 
                that the Secretary may not reduce the cost of the diet 
                below that in effect during the immediately preceding 
                fiscal year;
                    ``(ii) on October 1, 2010, adjust the cost of the 
                diet to reflect 102.5 percent of the cost of the diet 
                in the preceding June, and round the result to the 
                nearest higher dollar increment for each household 
                size, except that the Secretary may not reduce the cost 
                of the diet below that in effect during the immediately 
                preceding fiscal year; and
                    ``(iii) on October 1, 2011, and each October 1 
                thereafter, adjust the cost of the diet to reflect 103 
                percent of the cost of the diet in the preceding June, 
                and round the result to the nearest higher dollar 
                increment for each household size, except that the 
                Secretary may not reduce the cost of the diet below 
                that in effect during the immediately preceding fiscal 
                year.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 19(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
        of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028(a)(2)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking 
        ``3(u)(4)'' and inserting ``3(u)(2)''.
            (2) Section 27(a)(2)(C) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
        2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036(a)(2)(C)) is amended by striking 
        ``3(u)(4)'' and inserting ``3(u)(2)''.

SEC. 3. SCHOOL MEALS.

    (a) Commodities.--Section 6(c)(1) of the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1755(c)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``on July 1, 1982, and 
        each July 1 thereafter'' and inserting ``in accordance with 
        subparagraph (B)''; and
            (2) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
        following:
    ``(B) Adjustment.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(i) on each January 1, increase the value of food 
        assistance for each meal by the annual percentage change in a 
        3-month average value of the Price Index for Foods Used in 
        Schools and Institutions for September, October, and November 
        each year;
            ``(ii) on each July 1, increase the value of food 
        assistance for each meal by the annual percentage change in a 
        3-month average value of the Price Index for Foods Used in 
        Schools and Institutions for March, April, and May each year; 
        and
            ``(iii) round the result of each increase to the nearest 
        higher \1/4\ cent.''.
    (b) Overall Adjustment.--Section 11(a) of the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1759a(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``98.75 cents'' and 
        inserting ``the amount computed under paragraph (3)''; and
            (2) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) in the matter before clause (i), by 
                        striking ``July 1, 1982, and on each subsequent 
                        July 1, an annual adjustment'' and inserting 
                        ``each January 1 and July 1, a semiannual 
                        increase''; and
                            (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``(as 
                        established under paragraph (2) of this 
                        subsection)'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) in clause (i), by striking ``annual 
                        adjustment'' and inserting ``semiannual 
                        increase'';
                            (ii) in clause (ii)--
                                    (I) by striking ``annual 
                                adjustment'' and inserting ``semiannual 
                                increase''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``12-month 
                                period'' and inserting ``6-month 
                                period''; and
                            (iii) by striking clause (iii) and 
                        inserting the following:
                            ``(iii) Rounding.--On each January 1 and 
                        July 1, the national average payment rates for 
                        meals and supplements shall be--
                                    ``(I) increased to the nearest 
                                higher cent; and
                                    ``(II) based on the unrounded 
                                amount previously in effect.''.
    (c) Payments to Service Institutions.--Section 13(b)(1) of the 
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(b)(1)) is 
amended by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:
                    ``(B) Adjustments.--The Secretary shall--
                            ``(i) on each January 1, increase each 
                        amount specified in subparagraph (A) as 
                        adjusted through the preceding July 1 to 
                        reflect changes for the 6-month period ending 
                        the preceding November 30 in the series for 
                        food away from home of the Consumer Price Index 
                        for All Urban Consumers published by the Bureau 
                        of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor;
                            ``(ii) on each July 1, increase each amount 
                        specified in subparagraph (A) as adjusted 
                        through the preceding January 1 to reflect 
                        changes for the 6-month period ending the 
                        preceding May 31 in the series for food away 
                        from home of the Consumer Price Index for All 
                        Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of 
                        Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor;
                            ``(iii) base each increase on the unrounded 
                        amount previously in effect; and
                            ``(iv) round each increase described in 
                        clauses (i) and (ii) to the nearest higher cent 
                        increment.''.
    (d) Reimbursement of Family or Group Day Care Home Sponsoring 
Organizations.--
            (1) Tier i.--Section 17(f)(3)(A)(ii)(IV) of the Richard B. 
        Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1766(f)(3)(A)(ii)(IV)) is amended by striking subclause (IV) 
        and inserting the following:
                                    ``(IV) Adjustments.--On each July 1 
                                and January 1, the Secretary shall--
                                            ``(aa) increase each 
                                        reimbursement factor under this 
                                        subparagraph to reflect the 
                                        changes in the Consumer Price 
                                        Index for food at home for the 
                                        most recent 6-month period for 
                                        which the data are available;
                                            ``(bb) base each increase 
                                        on the unrounded amount 
                                        previously in effect; and
                                            ``(cc) round each increase 
                                        described in item (aa) to the 
                                        nearest higher cent 
                                        increment.''.
            (2) Tier ii.--Section 17(f)(3)(A)(iii)(I) of the Richard B. 
        Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1766(f)(3)(A)(iii)(I)) is amended by striking item (bb) and 
        inserting the following:
                                            ``(bb) Adjustments.--On 
                                        each July 1 and January 1, the 
                                        Secretary shall increase the 
                                        reimbursement factors to 
                                        reflect the changes in the 
                                        Consumer Price Index for food 
                                        at home for the most recent 6-
                                        month period for which the data 
                                        are available, base the 
                                        increases on the unrounded 
                                        amount previously in effect, 
                                        and round the increases to the 
                                        nearest higher cent 
                                        increment.''.
    (e) Special Milk Program.--Section 3(a) of the Child Nutrition Act 
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1772(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following:
            ``(7) Minimum rate of reimbursement.--For each school year, 
        the minimum rate of reimbursement for a \1/2\ pint of milk 
        served in schools and other eligible institutions shall be not 
        less than minimum rate of reimbursement in effect on September 
        30, 2008, as increased on a semiannual basis each school year 
        to reflect changes in the Producer Price Index for Fresh 
        Processed Milk published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of 
        the Department of Labor.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (8), by inserting ``higher'' after 
        ``nearest''.

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act take effect on October 1, 2008.