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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2003 Introduced in House (IH)]

104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2003

To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make temporary assistance 
available to support community food security projects designed to meet 
  the food needs of low-income people, increase the self-reliance of 
    communities in providing for their own food needs, and promote 
comprehensive, inclusive, and future-oriented solutions to local food, 
                     farm, and nutrition problems.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 11, 1995

 Mr. de la Garza (for himself, Mr. Emerson, Mr. Baldacci, Mr. Brown of 
     California, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Dellums, Mr. Farr, Mr. Fazio of 
 California, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Frost, Mr. Gejdenson, Mr. 
  Hall of Ohio, Ms. Kaptur, Mrs. Kennelly, Mr. Olver, Mr. Pastor, Mr. 
 Sanders, Mr. Stenholm, and Mr. Wilson) introduced the following bill; 
           which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make temporary assistance 
available to support community food security projects designed to meet 
  the food needs of low-income people, increase the self-reliance of 
    communities in providing for their own food needs, and promote 
comprehensive, inclusive, and future-oriented solutions to local food, 
                     farm, and nutrition problems.
    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 ``Community Food Security Act of 
1995''.

SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY PROJECTS.

    (a) Community Food Security Projects Defined.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``community food security project'' means a 
community-based project that requires a one-time infusion of Federal 
assistance to become self-sustaining and that is designed to meet the 
food needs of low-income people, increase the self-reliance of 
communities in providing for their own food needs, and promote 
comprehensive, inclusive, and future-oriented solutions to local food, 
farm, and nutrition problems.
    (b) Authority To Provide Assistance.--The Secretary of Agriculture 
may make grants to assist eligible entities to establish and carry out 
community food security projects.
    (c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible for a grant under subsection 
(b), an entity must meet all of the following criteria:
            (1) The entity must have experience in the area of--
                    (A) community food work, including the development 
                of new markets in low-income communities for 
                agricultural producers, particularly small and medium-
                sized farms; or
                    (B) job training and business development 
                activities for food-related businesses in low-income 
                communities.
            (2) The entity must demonstrate competency to implement a 
        project, provide fiscal accountability, collect data, and 
        prepare reports and other necessary documentation.
            (3) The entity must demonstrate a willingness to 
        participate in an ongoing assessment of regional food security 
        and to share information with researchers, practitioners, and 
        other interested parties.
    (d) Preference for Certain Projects.--In selecting community food 
security projects to be supported by grants under subsection (b), the 
Secretary shall give a preference to projects designed--
            (1) to develop linkages between two or more sectors of the 
        food system;
            (2) to support the development of entrepreneurial solutions 
        to local food problems;
            (3) to develop innovative linkages between the for-profit 
        and nonprofit food sectors; or
            (4) to encourage long-term planning activities and multi-
        system, interagency approaches.
    (e) Matching Funds Requirements.--
            (1) Requirements.--The Federal share of the cost of 
        establishing or carrying out a community food security project 
        that receives assistance under subsection (b) may not exceed 50 
        percent of such cost during the term of the grant.
            (2) Calculation.--In providing for the remaining share of 
        the cost of carrying out a community food security project, the 
        entity receiving the grant shall provide for such share through 
        a payment in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including 
        facilities, equipment, or services. The entity may provide for 
        such share through private, State, or local sources.
    (f) Term of Grant.--A particular community food security project 
may be supported by only a single grant under subsection (b). The term 
of the grant may not exceed three years.
    (g) Technical Assistance and Related Information.--The Secretary 
shall provide technical assistance regarding community food security 
projects, processes, and development to entities seeking such 
information. The Secretary shall provide for the sharing of information 
about community food security projects and issues among and between 
government, private for-profit and nonprofit groups, and the public 
through publications, conferences, and other appropriate forums. The 
Secretary shall also participate in assessments of regional food 
security and share information with researchers, practitioners, and 
other interested parties.
    (h) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall provide for the evaluation of 
the success of community food security projects supported using funds 
under this section. Not later than January 30, 2000, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report regarding the results of the 
evaluation.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $2,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 
1996 through 2000 to carry out this section.
                                 <all>
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