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‘‘SEC. 10. REDEMPTION OF BENEFITS. 
‘‘Regulations’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’. 
(9) Section 11 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 2020) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (e)— 
(i) in paragraph (15) by striking 
‘‘when using its authorization card in order 
to receive its coupons’’ and inserting 
‘‘when receiving benefits’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (19) by striking 
‘‘that,’’ and all that follows through ‘‘para-
graph;’’ and inserting ‘‘that eligible house-
holds may be required to present photo-
graphic identification cards in order to re-
ceive their benefits.’’; 
(B) in subsection (h) by striking ‘‘coupon 
or coupons’’ and inserting ‘‘benefits’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘coupon’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘benefit’’; and 
(D) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’. 
(10) Section 13 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 2022) is amended by striking ‘‘coupons’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’.
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(11) Section 15 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 2024) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ 
and inserting ‘‘benefits’’; 
(B) in subsection (b)(1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘coupons or authoriza-
tion cards’’ and inserting ‘‘benefits’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘access device’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘benefit’’; 
(C) in subsection (c) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’; 
(D) in subsection (d) by striking ‘‘Cou-
pons’’ and inserting ‘‘Benefits’’; 
(E) in subsections (e) and (f) by striking 
‘‘coupon’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘benefit’’; and 
(F) in subsection (g) by striking ‘‘coupon, 
authorization cards or access devices’’ and in-
serting ‘‘benefits’’; and 
(12) Section 16(a) of the Food Stamp Act of 
1977 (7 U.S.C. 2025(a)) is amended by striking 
‘‘coupons’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘ben-
efits’’.
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(13) Section 17 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 2026) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(2) by striking ‘‘cou-
pon’’ and inserting ‘‘benefit’’; 
(B) in subsection (b)(1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (B)(v)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘countersigned 
food coupons or similar’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘food coupons’’ 
and inserting ‘‘EBT cards’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (C)(i)(I) by strik-
ing ‘‘coupons’’ and inserting ‘‘EBT cards’’; 
and 
(C) in subsection (j) by striking ‘‘coupon’’ 
and inserting ‘‘benefit’’. 
(14) Section 21 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 2030) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (d)(3)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘food coupons’’ and in-
serting ‘‘benefits’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘food stamp benefits’’ 
and inserting ‘‘benefits’’. 
(15) Section 22 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 2031) is amended—
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(A) by striking ‘‘food coupons’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’; and 
(C) in subsection (g)(1)(A) by striking 
‘‘coupon’’ and inserting ‘‘benefit’’. 
(c) REFERENCES
IN OTHER LAWS, DOCUMENTS, 
AND RECORDS OF THE UNITED STATES.—In any law (ex-
cluding the Food Stamp Act of 1977), regulation, rule, 
document, or record of the United States, a reference to 
‘‘coupon’’, ‘‘authorization card’’, or ‘‘other access device’’ 
as used in the Food Stamp Act of 1977 as in effect before 
the date of the enactment of this Act shall be deemed to 
be a reference to ‘‘benefit’’ as defined in such Act as in 
effect after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4012. ALLOW FOR THE ACCRUAL OF BENEFITS. 
Section 7(i) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
2016(i)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(12) RECOVERING ELECTRONIC BENEFITS.— 
‘‘(A) A State agency may recover benefits 
from a household’s electronic benefits account 
because of inactivity in the account after the 
household has not accessed the account the 
lesser of—
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‘‘(i) 3 months during which the ac-
count has continuously had a balance in 
excess of $1,000, adjusted for changes in 
the thrifty food plan since June 2007; or 
‘‘(ii) 12 months. 
‘‘(B) A household whose benefits are recov-
ered under subparagraph (A) shall receive no-
tice and shall have the benefits made available 
again upon a request made during a period of 
not less than 12 months after the recovery.’’. 
SEC. 4013. INCREASING THE MINIMUM BENEFIT. 
Section 8(a) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 2017(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘$10 per month’’ 
and inserting ‘‘10 percent of the thrifty food plan for a 
household containing 1 member, as determined by the Sec-
retary under section 3(o)’’. 
SEC. 4014. STATE OPTION FOR TELEPHONIC SIGNATURE. 
Section 11(e)(2)(C) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 
(7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(2)(C)) is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(i)’’ after ‘‘(C)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) A State agency may establish a sys-
tem by which an applicant household may sign 
an application through a recorded verbal assent 
over the telephone. Any such system shall—
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‘‘(I) record for future reference the 
household member’s verbal assent and the 
information to which assent was given; 
‘‘(II) 
include 
effective 
safeguards 
against impersonation, identity theft, or in-
vasions of privacy; 
‘‘(III) not deny or interfere with the 
right of the household to apply in writing; 
‘‘(IV) promptly send the household 
member a written copy of the application, 
with instructions on a simple procedure for 
correcting any errors or omissions; 
‘‘(V) comply with paragraph (1)(B); 
‘‘(VI) satisfy all requirements for a 
signature on an application under this Act 
and other laws applicable to the Secure 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Pro-
gram, with the date on which the house-
hold member provides verbal assent effec-
tive as the date of application for all pur-
poses; and 
‘‘(VII) comply with such other stand-
ards as the Secretary may establish.’’.
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SEC. 4015. REVIEW OF MAJOR CHANGES IN PROGRAM DE-
SIGN. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—Section 11(e)(6) of the Food 
Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(6)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(B) except as provided in section 5(h)(4), 
only State employees employed in accordance 
with the current standards for a Merit System 
of Personnel Administration, or any standards 
later prescribed by the Office of Personnel 
Management pursuant to section 208 of the 
Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42 
U.S.C. 4728) modifying or superseding such 
standards relating to the establishment and 
maintenance of personnel standards on a merit 
basis, shall undertake such certifications and 
shall— 
‘‘(i) represent the State agency in any 
official communications with a prospective 
applicant, applicant, or recipient household 
regarding their application or participa-
tion, except that a nonprofit organization 
may assist a household under paragraph
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(1) through activities allowable under sec-
tion 16(a)(4); 
‘‘(ii) participate in making any deter-
minations relating to a household’s sub-
stantive or procedural compliance with the 
requirements of this Act or implementing 
regulations, including the adequacy of the 
household’s application or of verification or 
other information the household has sub-
mitted in support of that application; or 
‘‘(iii) participate in making any other 
determinations required under this sub-
section; 
except that nothing in this subparagraph shall 
prevent a State agency from contracting for 
automated systems, issuance services or pro-
gram information activities reimbursed under 
paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (6) of section 16(a) 
or under section 16(g) or for assisting in the 
verification of an applicant’s identity; and 
‘‘(C) the State agency shall not use any 
Federal funds— 
‘‘(i) to implement, to perform, or to 
carry out any contract that does not com-
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ply with the requirements in effect under 
subparagraph (B); or 
‘‘(ii) to pay any cost associated with 
the termination, breach, or full or partial 
abrogation, of any contract that does not 
comply with the requirements in effect 
under such subparagraph;’’. 
(b) WAIVERS.—Section 17(b)(1)(B)(iv)(III)(ff) of the 
Food 
Stamp 
Act 
of 
1977 
(7 
U.S.C. 
2026(b)(1)(B)(iv)(III)(ff)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or 
11(e)(6)(B)’’ before the semicolon at the end. 
(c) PROJECTS.—Section 26(f)(3)(E) of the Food 
Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2035(f)(3)(E)) is amended 
by inserting ‘‘(6)(B),’’ after ‘‘paragraphs’’. 
(d) DISASTERS.—Section 5(h) of the Food Stamp 
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2014(h)) is amended by inserting 
at the end: 
‘‘(4) The Secretary may authorize a state agen-
cy, on a temporary basis, to use employees or indi-
viduals that do not meet the standards prescribed 
under section 11(e)(6)(B) in order to determine eli-
gibility for a disaster food stamp program under this 
subsection.’’. 
(e) DISALLOWANCE OF FUNDS.—No funds shall be 
available under any appropriations act for implementing
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or continuing any contract that does not comply with sec-
tion 11(e)(6)(B) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
2020(e)(6)(B)) as amended by subsection (a) nor for any 
costs associated with the termination or full or partial ab-
rogation of such contract. 
(f) TRANSITION PERIOD.—Subsection (e) shall not 
apply to the costs of implementing, continuing, or renego-
tiating any contract concluded before January 1, 2007, 
(but shall apply to any costs associated with the termi-
nation or full or partial abrogation of such contract) until 
the first day of the first month beginning at least 120 
days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4016. GRANTS FOR SIMPLE APPLICATION AND ELIGI-
BILITY DETERMINATION SYSTEMS AND IM-
PROVED ACCESS TO BENEFITS. 
Section 11(t)(1) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 
U.S.C. 2020(t)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘2007’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2012’’. 
SEC. 4017. CIVIL MONEY PENALTIES AND DISQUALIFICA-
TION OF RETAIL FOOD STORES AND WHOLE-
SALE FOOD CONCERNS. 
Section 12 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 
2021) is amended—
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(1) by striking the section heading and all that 
follows through ‘‘(a) Any approved’’, and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 12. CIVIL MONEY PENALTIES AND DISQUALIFICATION 
OF RETAIL FOOD STORES AND WHOLESALE 
FOOD CONCERNS. 
‘‘(a) DISQUALIFICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An approved’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the 1st sentence by striking 
‘‘$10,000 for each violation’’ and all that fol-
lows through the period at the end, and insert-
ing ‘‘$100,000 for each violation.’’; and 
(B) in the 2d sentence— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Regulations’’ and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘(2) REGULATIONS.—Regulations’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘finding of a violation 
and the’’ and inserting ‘‘finding of a viola-
tion,’’; 
(iii) by inserting a comma after ‘‘dis-
qualification of’’; and 
(iv) by striking ‘‘a retail store’’ and 
inserting ‘‘and the assessment of a civil 
money penalty against, a retail store’’;