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[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 128 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6553-S6555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. INHOFE:
  S. 3602. A bill to repeal the nutrition entitlement programs and 
establish a food stamp block grant program; to the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a new bill, the Food 
Stamp Restoration Act. This is a bill that will completely revamp the 
Food Stamp program, which is something that is desperately needed. 
Since the beginning of the Obama administration, the number of 
Americans on Food Stamps has increased by 46 percent. Over 46 million 
Americans currently claim Food Stamp benefits, and this costs taxpayers 
over $80 billion per year. In 2008, just four years ago, the program 
cost $40 billion per year--it has more than doubled in cost under 
President Obama's leadership.
  How on earth did we get here?
  Many changes to the program that have ballooned its cost have been 
made in recent years. President Obama, in his stimulus package, pushed 
reforms that both made it easier to qualify for the program and 
increased the value of the program's benefits. When the stimulus bill 
passed, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the changes made 
to the Food Stamp program would increase the cost of it by to nearly 
$60 billion over 10 years.
  Worse yet, the President has pursued economic, tax, and regulatory 
policies that are anti-business. These policies have made the business 
environment uncertain, which makes it nearly impossible for firms to 
invest in and expand their businesses. Businesses are doing well to 
simply hold on to what they already have. This has kept both 
unemployment and food stamp enrollment higher than it should be.
  Since the stimulus package, there have been a few efforts to tinker 
with the structure and value of the Food Stamp program, but none of 
them have amounted to much. The Senate-passed Farm Bill reduced the 
cost of the program by a paltry $4 billion over 10 years, which is less 
than 1 percent of its total 10-year cost. That was one of the main 
reasons I voted against the Farm Bill.
  But we have moved well beyond tinkering around the edges. If we do 
not do anything to dramatically reform the food stamp program, it will 
cost Federal taxpayers nearly $800 billion over the next decade. This 
program needs to change.
  That is why I am introducing the Food Stamp Restoration Act.
  Today, the Food Stamp program is a mandatory program, meaning that 
Congress does not have to appropriate money every year for the Food 
Stamp program to be funded. Rather, it is funded automatically. This 
dramatically reduces Congressional accountability over the program, 
leaving few opportunities to make adjustments and improvements to the 
program. This needs to change.
  My bill tackles this problem head on. The Food Stamp Restoration Act 
converts the program from a mandatory program into a discretionary one. 
If my bill is enacted, Congress will have to decide each year how much 
money to spend on the Food Stamp program.
  My bill also removes the power of designing and running the program 
from the Federal Government and gives it to the states. The new Food 
Stamp program will be a block grant, which

[[Page S6554]]

means that States will be given nearly limitless flexibility to design 
and implement their food stamp programs in the way that best serves 
their people.
  This makes sense to me. I have never thought that bureaucrats in 
Washington understood Oklahomans. But the people in Oklahoma City do. 
If my bill is enacted, each State will receive an allotment from the 
Food Stamp appropriation that will be proportional to the number of 
individuals living in the State with an income at or below the Federal 
poverty level. Benefits will be given to the people who need them most.
  States will only have to meet a few requirements to qualify for the 
block grant. First, their program will not be allowed to authorize 
benefit spending on things like alcohol and tobacco. The program should 
only allow benefit spending on real food. Second, all beneficiaries 
must submit themselves to drug testing. Finally, States must implement 
work requirements for the beneficiaries. This follows the general 
welfare reform efforts that I have been championing since first coming 
to the Senate.
  To give States flexibility during times of economic weakness, they 
will be able to keep their allotment of funds for up to 5 years. This 
will allow States to provide benefits to more people during times of 
higher unemployment. After 5 years, if States have unused funds, the 
money will return to the Treasury for deficit reduction or debt 
repayment.
  All told, my bill will save over $300 billion for Federal taxpayers, 
and it make significant improvements to the current program by giving 
States complete control over the design and implementation of the 
programs within their States.
  The Obama administration has dramatically increased the cost of this 
welfare program, making millions more Americans reliant on federal 
assistance than necessary. The cost has doubled in just four short 
years. I urge the Senate to consider my bill soon so that we can save 
taxpayers $300 billion over 10 years while reducing the dependency of 
the population on government programs.
  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. 3602

       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 ``Food Stamp Restoration Act 
     of 2012''.

     SEC. 2. FOOD STAMP BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--For each of fiscal years 2014 through 
     2021, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this Act 
     as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a food stamp block 
     grant program under which the Secretary shall make annual 
     grants to each participating State that establishes a food 
     stamp program in the State and submits to the Secretary 
     annual reports under subsection (d).
       (b) Requirements.--As a requirement of receiving grants 
     under this section, the Governor of each participating State 
     shall certify that the State food stamp program includes--
       (1) work requirements;
       (2) mandatory drug testing;
       (3) verification of citizenship or proof of lawful 
     permanent residency of the United States; and
       (4) limitations on the eligible uses of benefits that are 
     at least as restrictive as the limitations in place for the 
     supplemental nutrition assistance program established under 
     the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) as 
     of May 31, 2012.
       (c) Amount of Grant.--For each fiscal year, the Secretary 
     shall make a grant to each participating State in an amount 
     equal to the product of--
       (1) the amount made available under section 3 for the 
     applicable fiscal year; and
       (2) the proportion that--
       (A) the number of legal residents in the State whose income 
     does not exceed 100 percent of the poverty line (as defined 
     in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 9902(2), including any revision required by such 
     section)) applicable to a family of the size involved; bears 
     to
       (B) the number of such individuals in all participating 
     States for the applicable fiscal year, based on data for the 
     most recent fiscal year for which data is available.
       (d) Annual Report Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than January 1 of each year, 
     each State that receives a grant under this section shall 
     submit to the Secretary a report that shall include, for the 
     year covered by the report--
       (A) a description of the structure and design of the food 
     stamp program of the State, including the manner in which 
     residents of the State qualify for the program;
       (B) the cost the State incurs to administer the program;
       (C) whether the State has established a rainy day fund for 
     the food stamp program of the State; and
       (D) general statistics about participation in the food 
     stamp program.
       (2) Audit.--Each year, the Comptroller General of the 
     United States shall--
       (A) conduct an audit on the effectiveness of the 
     nutritional assistance block grant program and the manner in 
     which each participating State is implementing the program; 
     and
       (B) not later than June 30, submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress a report describing--
       (i) the results of the audit; and
       (ii) the manner in which the State will carry out the food 
     stamp program in the State, including eligibility and fraud 
     prevention requirements.
       (e) Use of Funds.--
       (1) In general.--A State that receives a grant under this 
     section may use the grant in any manner determined to be 
     appropriate by the State to provide food stamps to the legal 
     residents of the State.
       (2) Availability of funds.--Grant funds made available to a 
     State under this section shall--
       (A) remain available to the State for a period of 5 years; 
     and
       (B) after that period, shall--
       (i) revert to the Federal Government to be deposited in the 
     Treasury and used for Federal budget deficit reduction; or
       (ii) if there is no Federal budget deficit, be used to 
     reduce the Federal debt in such manner as the Secretary of 
     the Treasury considers appropriate.

     SEC. 3. FUNDING.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this Act--
       (1) for fiscal year 2014, $40,000,000,000;
       (2) for fiscal year 2015, $40,700,000,000;
       (3) for fiscal year 2016, $41,600,000,000;
       (4) for fiscal year 2017, $42,400,000,000;
       (5) for fiscal year 2018, $43,200,000,000;
       (6) for fiscal year 2019, $44,100,000,000;
       (7) for fiscal year 2020, $45,000,000,000; and
       (8) for fiscal year 2021, $45,900,000,000.
       (b) Discretionary Spending Limit Adjustment.--Section 
     251(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control 
     Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(c)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (3), by striking the figure and inserting 
     ``$1,106,000,000,000'';
       (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the figure and inserting 
     ``$1,126,700,000,000'';
       (3) in paragraph (5), by striking the figure and inserting 
     ``$1,148,600,000,000'';
       (4) in paragraph (6), by striking the figure and inserting 
     ``$1,173,400,000,000'';
       (5) in paragraph (7), by striking the figure and inserting 
     ``$1,199,200,000,000'';
       (6) in paragraph (8), by striking the figure and inserting 
     ``$1,226,100,000,000'';
       (7) in paragraph (9), by striking the figure and inserting 
     ``$1,253,000,000,000''; and
       (8) in paragraph (10), by striking the figure and inserting 
     ``$1,279,900,000,000''.
       (c) Discretionary Cap Adjustment for New Program 
     Spending.--Section 251A(2) of the Balanced Budget and 
     Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a(2)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking the figure and 
     inserting ``$550,000,000,000'';
       (2) in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking the figure and 
     inserting ``$560,700,000,000'';
       (3) in subparagraph (D)(ii), by striking the figure and 
     inserting ``$571,600,000,000'';
       (4) in subparagraph (E)(ii), by striking the figure and 
     inserting ``$583,400,000,000'';
       (5) in subparagraph (F)(ii), by striking the figure and 
     inserting ``$596,200,000,000'';
       (6) in subparagraph (G)(ii), by striking the figure and 
     inserting ``$610,100,000,000'';
       (7) in subparagraph (H)(ii), by striking the figure and 
     inserting ``$623,000,000,000''; and
       (8) in subparagraph (I)(ii), by striking the figure and 
     inserting ``$635,900,000,000''.

     SEC. 4. REPEALS.

       (a) In General.--Effective September 30, 2013, the Food and 
     Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is repealed.
       (b) Repeal of Mandatory Funding.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, effective September 30, 2013, the supplemental nutrition 
     assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition 
     Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) (as in effect prior to 
     that date) shall cease to be a program funded through direct 
     spending (as defined in section 250(c) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900(c)) 
     prior to the amendment made by paragraph (2)).
       (2) Direct spending.--Effective September 30, 2013, section 
     250(c)(8) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900(c)(8)) is amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by adding ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' at the end 
     and inserting a period; and
       (C) by striking subparagraph (C).
       (3) Entitlement authority.--Effective September 30, 2013, 
     section 3(9) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
     Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 622(9)) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``means--'' and all that follows through 
     ``the authority to make'' and inserting ``means the authority 
     to make'';
       (B) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a period; and

[[Page S6555]]

       (C) by striking subparagraph (B).
       (4) Other direct spending.--Effective September 30, 2013, 
     section 1026(5) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment 
     Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 691e(5)) is amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by adding ``and'' at the end;
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' at the end 
     and inserting a period; and
       (C) by striking subparagraph (C).
       (c) Relationship to Other Law.--Any reference in this Act, 
     an amendment made by this Act, or any other Act to the 
     supplemental nutrition assistance program shall be considered 
     to be a reference to the food stamp block grant program under 
     this Act.

     SEC. 5. BASELINE.

       Notwithstanding section 257 of the Balanced Budget and 
     Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907), the 
     baseline shall assume that, on and after September 30, 2013, 
     no benefits shall be provided under the supplemental 
     nutrition assistance program established under the Food and 
     Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) (as in effect 
     prior to that date).

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