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(9) Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of
2007 (7 U.S.C. 2020) is amended—
(A) in subsection (d)—
(i) by striking ‘‘section 3(n)(1) of this
Act’’ each place it appears and inserting
‘‘section 3(t)(1)’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘section 3(n)(2) of this
Act’’ each place it appears and inserting
‘‘section 3(t)(2)’’;
(B) in subsection (e)—
(i) in paragraph (8)(E), by striking
‘‘paragraph (16) or (20)(B)’’ and inserting
‘‘paragraph (15) or (18)(B)’’;
(ii) by striking paragraphs (15) and
(19);
(iii) by redesignating paragraphs (16)
through (18) and (20) through (25) as
paragraphs (15) through (17) and (18)
through (23), respectively; and
(iv) in paragraph (17) (as so redesig-
nated), by striking ‘‘(described in section
3(n)(1) of this Act)’’ and inserting ‘‘de-
scribed in section 3(t)(1)’’;
(C) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘coupon
or coupons’’ and inserting ‘‘benefits’’;
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(D) by striking ‘‘coupon’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘benefit’’;
(E) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’;
(F) in subsection (q), by striking ‘‘section
11(e)(20)(B)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘subsection
(e)(18)(B)’’
(10) Section 13 of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2007 (7 U.S.C. 2022) is amended by striking ‘‘cou-
pons’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’.
(11) Section 15 of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2007 (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, authorization
cards, or access devices’’ each place it ap-
pears 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’’;
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(D) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘Cou-
pons’’ and inserting ‘‘Benefits’’;
(E) by striking subsections (e) and (f);
(F) by redesignating subsections (g) and (h)
as subsections (e) and (f), respectively; and
(G) in subsection (e) (as so redesignated),
by striking ‘‘coupon, authorization cards or ac-
cess devices’’ and inserting ‘‘benefits’’.
(12) Section 16(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2007 (7 U.S.C. 2025(a)) is amended by striking
‘‘coupons’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘bene-
fits’’.
(13) Section 17 of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2007 (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)—
(I) in clause (iv)—
(aa) in subclause (I), insert-
ing ‘‘or otherwise providing bene-
fits in a form not restricted to the
purchase of food’’ after ‘‘of cash’’;
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(bb) in subclause (III)(aa),
by striking ‘‘section 3(i)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘section 3(n)’’; and
(cc) in subclause (VII), by
striking ‘‘section 7(j)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘section 7(i)’’; and
(II) in clause (v)—
(aa) 
by 
striking
‘‘countersigned food coupons or
similar’’; and
(bb) by striking ‘‘food cou-
pons’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘EBT
cards’’; and
(ii) in subparagraph (C)(i)(I), by
striking ‘‘coupons’’ and inserting ‘‘EBT
cards’’;
(C) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘section
7(g)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 7(f)(2)’’; and
(D) in subsection (j), by striking ‘‘coupon’’
and inserting ‘‘benefit’’.
(14) Section 19(a)(2)(A)(ii) of the Food and Nu-
trition Act of 2007 (7 U.S.C. 2028(a)(2)(A)(ii)) is
amended by striking ‘‘section 3(o)(4)’’ and inserting
‘‘section 3(u)(4)’’.
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(15) Section 21 of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2007 (7 U.S.C. 2030) is amended—
(A) in subsection (b)(2)(G)(i), by striking
‘‘and (19)’’ and inserting ‘‘(and (17)’’;
(B) in subsection (d)(3), by striking ‘‘food
coupons’’ and inserting ‘‘EBT cards’’; and
(C) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘EBT cards’’.
(16) Section 22 of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2007 (7 U.S.C. 2031) is amended—
(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 ‘‘benefits’’.
(17) Section 26(f)(3) of the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2007 (7 U.S.C. 2035(f)(3)) is amended—
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘sub-
sections (a) through (g)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
sections (a) through (f)’’; and
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘(16),
(18), (20), (24), and (25)’’ and inserting ‘‘(15),
(17), (18), (22), and (23)’’.
(c) CONFORMING CROSS-REFERENCES.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—
(A) USE OF TERMS.—Each provision of law
described in subparagraph (B) is amended (as
applicable)—
(i) by striking ‘‘coupons’’ each place it
appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’;
(ii) by striking ‘‘coupon’’ each place it
appears and inserting ‘‘benefit’’;
(iii) by striking ‘‘food coupons’’ each
place it appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’;
(iv) in each section heading, by strik-
ing ‘‘FOOD COUPONS’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘BENEFITS’’;
(v) by striking ‘‘food stamp coupon’’
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘ben-
efit’’; and
(vi) by striking ‘‘food stamps’’ each
place it appears and inserting ‘‘benefits’’.
(B) PROVISIONS OF LAW.—The provisions
of law referred to in subparagraph (A) are the
following:
(i) Section 2 of Public Law 103–205
(7 U.S.C. 2012 note; 107 Stat. 2418).
(ii) Section 1956(c)(7)(D) of title 18,
United States Code.
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(iii) Titles II through XIX of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.).
(iv) Section 401(b)(3) of the Social Se-
curity Amendments of 1972 (42 U.S.C.
1382e note; Public Law 92–603).
(v) The Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(vi) Section 802(d)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the
Cranston-Gonzalez 
National 
Affordable
Housing 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C.
8011(d)(2)(A)(i)(II)).
(2) DEFINITION REFERENCES.—
(A) Section 2 of Public Law 103–205 (7
U.S.C. 2012 note; 107 Stat. 2418) is amended by
striking ‘‘section 3(k)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘section
3(p)(1)’’.
(B) Section 205 of the Food Stamp Pro-
gram Improvements Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 2012
note; Public Law 103–225) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘section 3(k) of such Act (as amended by sec-
tion 201)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3(p) of that
Act’’.
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(C) Section 115 of the Personal Responsi-
bility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996 (21 U.S.C. 862a) is amended—
(i) by striking ‘‘section 3(h)’’ each
place it appears and inserting ‘‘section
3(l)’’; and
(ii) in subsection (e)(2), by striking
‘‘section 3(m)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3(s)’’.
(D) Section 402(a) of the Personal Respon-
sibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation
Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)) is amended—
(i) in paragraph (2)(F)(ii), by striking
‘‘section 3(r)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3(j)’’;
and
(ii) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking
‘‘section 3(h)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3(l)’’.
(E) Section 3803(c)(2)(C)(vii) of title 31,
United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 3(h)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 3(l)’’.
(F) Section 303(d)(4) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 503(d)(4)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘section 3(n)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘section
3(t)(1)’’.
(G) Section 404 of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 604) is amended by striking ‘‘section
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3(h)’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion 3(l)’’.
(H) Section 531 of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 654) is amended by striking ‘‘section
3(h)’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion 3(l)’’.
(I) Section 802(d)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the Cran-
ston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act
(42 U.S.C. 8011(d)(2)(A)(i)(II)) is amended by
striking ‘‘(as defined in section 3(e) of such
Act)’’.
(d) REFERENCES.—Any reference in any Federal,
State, tribal, or local law (including regulations) to a ‘‘cou-
pon’’, ‘‘authorization card’’, or other access device provided
under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2007 (7 U.S.C. 2011
et seq.) shall be considered to be a reference to a ‘‘benefit’’
provided under that Act.
SEC. 4203. CLARIFICATION OF SPLIT ISSUANCE.
Section 7(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2007
(7 U.S.C. 2016(h)) is amended by striking paragraph (2)
and inserting the following:
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any procedure estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall—
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‘‘(i) not reduce the allotment of any
household for any period; and
‘‘(ii) ensure that no household experi-
ences an interval between issuances of more
than 40 days.
‘‘(B) MULTIPLE
ISSUANCES.—The proce-
dure may include issuing benefits to a household
in more than 1 issuance only when a benefit cor-
rection is necessary.’’.
SEC. 4204. STATE OPTION FOR TELEPHONIC SIGNATURE.
Section 11(e)(2)(C) of the Food and Nutrition Act of
2007 (7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(2)(C)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘Nothing in this Act’’ and insert-
ing the following:
‘‘(C) ELECTRONIC
AND
AUTOMATED
SYS-
TEMS.—
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Nothing in this
Act’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(ii) STATE OPTION FOR TELEPHONIC
SIGNATURE.—A State agency may establish
a system by which an applicant household
may sign an application through a recorded
verbal assent over the telephone.
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‘‘(iii) REQUIREMENTS.—A system es-
tablished under clause (ii) shall—
‘‘(I) record for future reference the
verbal assent of the household member
and the information to which assent
was given;
‘‘(II) include effective safeguards
against impersonation, identity theft,
and invasions of privacy;
‘‘(III) not deny or interfere with
the right of the household to apply in
writing;
‘‘(IV) promptly provide to the
household member a written copy of
the completed application, with in-
structions for 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 food and nutrition program, with
the date on which the household mem-
ber provides verbal assent considered as
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the date of application for all purposes;
and
‘‘(VII) comply with such other
standards as the Secretary may estab-
lish.’’.
SEC. 4205. PRIVACY PROTECTIONS.
Section 11(e)(8) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2007
(7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(8)) is amended—
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—
(A) by striking ‘‘limit’’ and inserting ‘‘pro-
hibit’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘to persons’’ and all that
follows through ‘‘State programs’’;
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through
(E) as subparagraphs (B) through (F), respectively;
(3) by inserting before subparagraph (B) (as so
redesignated) the following:
‘‘(A) the safeguards shall permit—
‘‘(i) the disclosure of such information
to persons directly connected with the ad-
ministration or enforcement of the provi-
sions of this Act, regulations issued pursu-
ant to this Act, Federal assistance pro-
grams, or federally-assisted State programs;
and
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‘‘(ii) the subsequent use of the informa-
tion by persons described in clause (i) only
for such administration or enforcement;’’;
and
(4) in subparagraph (F) (as so redesignated) by
inserting ‘‘or subsection (u)’’ before the semicolon at
the end.
SEC. 4206. STUDY ON COMPARABLE ACCESS TO FOOD AND
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE FOR PUERTO RICO.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry out a
study of the feasibility and effects of including the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico in the definition of the term ‘‘State’’
under section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2007 (7
U.S.C. 2012), in lieu of providing block grants under sec-
tion 19 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 2028).
(b) INCLUSIONS.—The study shall include—
(1) an assessment of the administrative, finan-
cial management, and other changes that would be
necessary for the Commonwealth to establish a com-
parable food and nutrition program, including com-
pliance with appropriate program rules under the
Food and Nutrition Act of 2007 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et
seq,), such as—
(A) benefit levels under section 3(o) of that
Act (7 U.S.C. 3012(o));
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(B) income eligibility standards under sec-
tions 5(c) and 6 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 2014(c),
2015); and
(C) deduction levels under section 5(e) of
that Act (7 U.S.C. 2014(e));
(2) an estimate of the impact on Federal and
Commonwealth benefit and administrative costs;
(3) an assessment of the impact of the program
on low-income Puerto Ricans, as compared to the
program under section 19 of that Act (7 U.S.C.
2028);
(4) such other matters as the Secretary considers
to be appropriate.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, 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 study
conducted under this section.
(d) FUNDING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—On October 1, 2008, out of
any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appro-
priated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer
to the Secretary to carry out this section $1,000,000,
to remain available until expended.
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(2) RECEIPT AND ACCEPTANCE.—The Secretary
shall be entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use
to carry out this section the funds transferred under
paragraph (1), without further appropriation.
SEC. 4207. CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLIANCE.
Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2007 (7
U.S.C. 2020) is amended by striking subsection (c) and in-
serting the following:
‘‘(c) CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLIANCE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In the certification of appli-
cant households for the food and nutrition program,
there shall be no discrimination by reason of race,
sex, religious creed, national origin, or political affili-
ation.
‘‘(2) RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.—The adminis-
tration of the program by a State agency shall be con-
sistent with the rights of households under the fol-
lowing laws (including implementing regulations):
‘‘(A) The Age Discrimination Act of 1975
(42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.).
‘‘(B) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794).
‘‘(C) The Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
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‘‘(D) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.).’’.
SEC. 4208. EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING, AND JOB RETENTION.
Section 6(d)(4) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2007
(7 U.S.C. 2015(d)(4)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (B)—
(A) by redesignating clause (vii) as clause
(viii); and
(B) by inserting after clause (vi) the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(vii) Programs intended to ensure job
retention by providing job retention serv-
ices, if the job retention services are pro-
vided for a period of not more than 90 days
after an individual who received employ-
ment and training services under this para-
graph gains employment.’’; and
(2) in subparagraph (F), by adding at the end
the following:
‘‘(iii) Any individual voluntarily elect-
ing to participate in a program under this
paragraph shall not be subject to the limita-
tions described in clauses (i) and (ii).’’.