H. R. 3734—225
SEC. 835. OPERATION OF FOOD STAMP OFFICES.
Section 11 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020),
as amended by sections 809(b) and 819(b), is amended—
(1) in subsection (e)—
(A) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(2)(A) that the State agency shall establish procedures
governing the operation of food stamp offices that the State
agency determines best serve households in the State, including
households with special needs, such as households with elderly
or disabled members, households in rural areas with low-income
members, homeless individuals, households residing on reserva-
tions, and households in areas in which a substantial number
of members of low-income households speak a language other
than English.
‘‘(B) In carrying out subparagraph (A), a State agency—
‘‘(i) shall provide timely, accurate, and fair service to
applicants for, and participants in, the food stamp program;
‘‘(ii) shall develop an application containing the
information necessary to comply with this Act;
‘‘(iii) shall permit an applicant household to apply to
participate in the program on the same day that the house-
hold first contacts a food stamp office in person during
office hours;
‘‘(iv) shall consider an application that contains the
name, address, and signature of the applicant to be filed
on the date the applicant submits the application;
‘‘(v) shall require that an adult representative of each
applicant household certify in writing, under penalty of
perjury, that—
‘‘(I) the information contained in the application
is true; and
‘‘(II) all members of the household are citizens
or are aliens eligible to receive food stamps under
section 6(f);
‘‘(vi) shall provide a method of certifying and issuing
coupons to eligible homeless individuals, to ensure that
participation in the food stamp program is limited to
eligible households; and
‘‘(vii) may establish operating procedures that vary
for local food stamp offices to reflect regional and local
differences within the State.
‘‘(C) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit the use of signatures
provided and maintained electronically, storage of records using
automated retrieval systems only, or any other feature of a
State agency’s application system that does not rely exclusively
on the collection and retention of paper applications or other
records.
‘‘(D) The signature of any adult under this paragraph shall
be considered sufficient to comply with any provision of Federal
law requiring a household member to sign an application or
statement;’’;
(B) in paragraph (3)—
(i) by striking ‘‘shall—’’ and all that follows through
‘‘provide each’’ and inserting ‘‘shall provide each’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘(B) assist’’ and all that follows
through ‘‘representative of the State agency;’’;
H. R. 3734—226
(C) by striking paragraphs (14) and (25);
(D)(i) by redesignating paragraphs (15) through (24)
as paragraphs (14) through (23), respectively; and
(ii) by redesignating paragraph (26), as paragraph
(24); and
(2) in subsection (i)—
(A) by striking ‘‘(i) Notwithstanding’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘(2)’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘(i) APPLICATION AND DENIAL PROCEDURES.—
‘‘(1) APPLICATION PROCEDURES.—Notwithstanding any other
provision of law,’’; and
(B) by striking ‘‘; (3) households’’ and all that follows
through ‘‘title IV of the Social Security Act. No’’ and insert-
ing a period and the following:
‘‘(2) DENIAL
AND
TERMINATION.—Except in a case of
disqualification as a penalty for failure to comply with a public
assistance program rule or regulation, no’’.
SEC. 836. STATE EMPLOYEE AND TRAINING STANDARDS.
Section 11(e)(6) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2020(e)(6)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘that (A) the’’ and inserting ‘‘that—
‘‘(A) the’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘Act; (B) the’’ and inserting ‘‘Act; and
‘‘(B) the’’;
(3) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘United States Civil
Service Commission’’ and inserting ‘‘Office of Personnel
Management’’; and
(4) by striking subparagraphs (C) through (E).
SEC. 837. EXCHANGE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION.
Section 11(e)(8) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2020(e)(8)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘that (A) such’’ and inserting the follow-
ing: ‘‘that—
‘‘(A) the’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘law, (B) notwithstanding’’ and inserting
the following: ‘‘law;
‘‘(B) notwithstanding’’;
(3) by striking ‘‘Act, and (C) such’’ and inserting the follow-
ing: ‘‘Act;
‘‘(C) the’’; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(D) notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
address, social security number, and, if available, photo-
graph of any member of a household shall be made avail-
able, on request, to any Federal, State, or local law enforce-
ment officer if the officer furnishes the State agency with
the name of the member and notifies the agency that—
‘‘(i) the member—
‘‘(I) is fleeing to avoid prosecution, or custody
or confinement after conviction, for a crime (or
attempt to commit a crime) that, under the law
of the place the member is fleeing, is a felony
(or, in the case of New Jersey, a high mis-
demeanor), or is violating a condition of probation
or parole imposed under Federal or State
law; or
H. R. 3734—227
‘‘(II) has information that is necessary for the
officer to conduct an official duty related to sub-
clause (I);
‘‘(ii) locating or apprehending the member is an
official duty; and
‘‘(iii) the request is being made in the proper exer-
cise of an official duty; and
‘‘(E) the safeguards shall not prevent compliance with
paragraph (16);’’.
SEC. 838. EXPEDITED COUPON SERVICE.
Section 11(e)(9) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2020(e)(9)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘five days’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘7 days’’;
(2) by striking subparagraph (B);
(3) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subpara-
graphs (B) and (C);
(4) in subparagraph (B), as redesignated by paragraph
(3), by striking ‘‘five days’’ and inserting ‘‘7 days’’; and
(5) in subparagraph (C), as redesignated by paragraph
(3), by striking ‘‘, (B), or (C)’’ and inserting ‘‘or (B)’’.
SEC. 839. WITHDRAWING FAIR HEARING REQUESTS.
Section 11(e)(10) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2020(e)(10)) is amended by inserting before the semicolon at the
end a period and the following: ‘‘At the option of a State, at any
time prior to a fair hearing determination under this paragraph,
a household may withdraw, orally or in writing, a request by
the household for the fair hearing. If the withdrawal request is
an oral request, the State agency shall provide a written notice
to the household confirming the withdrawal request and providing
the household with an opportunity to request a hearing’’.
SEC. 840. INCOME, ELIGIBILITY, AND IMMIGRATION STATUS VERIFICA-
TION SYSTEMS.
Section 11 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020)
is amended—
(1) in subsection (e)(18), as redesignated by section
835(1)(D)—
(A) by striking ‘‘that information is’’ and inserting ‘‘at
the option of the State agency, that information may be’’;
and
(B) by striking ‘‘shall be requested’’ and inserting ‘‘may
be requested’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(p) STATE VERIFICATION OPTION.—Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, in carrying out the food stamp program, a State
agency shall not be required to use an income and eligibility or
an immigration status verification system established under section
1137 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–7).’’.
SEC. 841. INVESTIGATIONS.
Section 12(a) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2021(a))
is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘Regulations issued
pursuant to this Act shall provide criteria for the finding of a
violation and the suspension or disqualification of a retail food
store or wholesale food concern on the basis of evidence that may
H. R. 3734—228
include facts established through on-site investigations, inconsistent
redemption data, or evidence obtained through a transaction report
under an electronic benefit transfer system.’’.
SEC. 842. DISQUALIFICATION OF RETAILERS WHO INTENTIONALLY
SUBMIT FALSIFIED APPLICATIONS.
Section 12(b) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2021(b))
is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end;
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(4) for a reasonable period of time to be determined by
the Secretary, including permanent disqualification, on the
knowing submission of an application for the approval or
reauthorization to accept and redeem coupons that contains
false information about a substantive matter that was a part
of the application.’’.
SEC. 843. DISQUALIFICATION OF RETAILERS WHO ARE DISQUALIFIED
UNDER THE WIC PROGRAM.
Section 12 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2021)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(g) DISQUALIFICATION OF RETAILERS WHO ARE DISQUALIFIED
UNDER THE WIC PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall issue regulations
providing criteria for the disqualification under this Act of
an approved retail food store or a wholesale food concern that
is disqualified from accepting benefits under the special supple-
mental nutrition program for women, infants, and children
established under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of
1966 (7 U.S.C. 1786).
‘‘(2) TERMS.—A disqualification under paragraph (1)—
‘‘(A) shall be for the same length of time as the disquali-
fication from the program referred to in paragraph (1);
‘‘(B) may begin at a later date than the disqualification
from the program referred to in paragraph (1); and
‘‘(C) notwithstanding section 14, shall not be subject
to judicial or administrative review.’’.
SEC. 844. COLLECTION OF OVERISSUANCES.
(a) COLLECTION OF OVERISSUANCES.—Section 13 of the Food
Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2022) is amended—
(1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
‘‘(b) COLLECTION OF OVERISSUANCES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise provided in this
subsection, a State agency shall collect any overissuance of
coupons issued to a household by—
‘‘(A) reducing the allotment of the household;
‘‘(B) withholding amounts from unemployment com-
pensation from a member of the household under sub-
section (c);
‘‘(C) recovering from Federal pay or a Federal income
tax refund under subsection (d); or
‘‘(D) any other means.
‘‘(2) COST EFFECTIVENESS.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply
if the State agency demonstrates to the satisfaction of the
H. R. 3734—229
Secretary that all of the means referred to in paragraph (1)
are not cost effective.
‘‘(3) MAXIMUM REDUCTION ABSENT FRAUD.—If a household
received an overissuance of coupons without any member of
the household being found ineligible to participate in the pro-
gram under section 6(b)(1) and a State agency elects to reduce
the allotment of the household under paragraph (1)(A), the
State agency shall not reduce the monthly allotment of the
household under paragraph (1)(A) by an amount in excess
of the greater of—
‘‘(A) 10 percent of the monthly allotment of the house-
hold; or
‘‘(B) $10.
‘‘(4) PROCEDURES.—A State agency shall collect an overissu-
ance of coupons issued to a household under paragraph (1)
in accordance with the requirements established by the State
agency for providing notice, electing a means of payment, and
establishing a time schedule for payment.’’; and
(2) in subsection (d)—
(A) by striking ‘‘as determined under subsection (b)
and except for claims arising from an error of the State
agency,’’ and inserting ‘‘, as determined under subsection
(b)(1),’’; and
(B) by inserting before the period at the end the follow-
ing: ‘‘or a Federal income tax refund as authorized by
section 3720A of title 31, United States Code’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 11(e)(8)(C) of the Food
Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(8)(C)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and excluding claims’’ and all that follows
through ‘‘such section’’; and
(2) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the
following: ‘‘or a Federal income tax refund as authorized by
section 3720A of title 31, United States Code’’.
(c) RETENTION RATE.—The proviso of the first sentence of sec-
tion 16(a) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2025(a)) is
amended by striking ‘‘25 percent during the period beginning
October 1, 1990’’ and all that follows through ‘‘section 13(b)(2)
which arise’’ and inserting ‘‘35 percent of the value of all funds
or allotments recovered or collected pursuant to sections 6(b)
and 13(c) and 20 percent of the value of any other funds or allot-
ments recovered or collected, except the value of funds or allotments
recovered or collected that arise’’.
SEC. 845. AUTHORITY TO SUSPEND STORES VIOLATING PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS 
PENDING 
ADMINISTRATIVE 
AND
JUDICIAL REVIEW.
Section 14(a) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2023(a))
is amended—
(1) by redesignating the first through seventeenth sen-
tences as paragraphs (1) through (17), respectively; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(18) SUSPENSION OF STORES PENDING REVIEW.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of this subsection, any permanent
disqualification of a retail food store or wholesale food concern
under paragraph (3) or (4) of section 12(b) shall be effective
from the date of receipt of the notice of disqualification. If
the disqualification is reversed through administrative or
H. R. 3734—230
judicial review, the Secretary shall not be liable for the value
of any sales lost during the disqualification period.’’.
SEC. 846. EXPANDED CRIMINAL FORFEITURE FOR VIOLATIONS.
(a) FORFEITURE
OF
ITEMS
EXCHANGED
IN
FOOD
STAMP
TRAFFICKING.—The first sentence of section 15(g) of the Food Stamp
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2024(g)) is amended by striking ‘‘or intended
to be furnished’’.
(b) CRIMINAL FORFEITURE.—Section 15 of the Food Stamp Act
of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2024) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘(h) CRIMINAL FORFEITURE.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—In imposing a sentence on a person
convicted of an offense in violation of subsection (b) or (c),
a court shall order, in addition to any other sentence imposed
under this section, that the person forfeit to the United States
all property described in paragraph (2).
‘‘(2) PROPERTY SUBJECT TO FORFEITURE.—All property, real
and personal, used in a transaction or attempted transaction,
to commit, or to facilitate the commission of, a violation (other
than a misdemeanor) of subsection (b) or (c), or proceeds trace-
able to a violation of subsection (b) or (c), shall be subject
to forfeiture to the United States under paragraph (1).
‘‘(3) INTEREST OF OWNER.—No interest in property shall
be forfeited under this subsection as the result of any act
or omission established by the owner of the interest to have
been committed or omitted without the knowledge or consent
of the owner.
‘‘(4) PROCEEDS.—The proceeds from any sale of forfeited
property and any monies forfeited under this subsection shall
be used—
‘‘(A) first, to reimburse the Department of Justice for
the costs incurred by the Department to initiate and com-
plete the forfeiture proceeding;
‘‘(B) second, to reimburse the Department of Agri-
culture Office of Inspector General for any costs the Office
incurred in the law enforcement effort resulting in the
forfeiture;
‘‘(C) third, to reimburse any Federal or State law
enforcement agency for any costs incurred in the
law enforcement effort resulting in the forfeiture; and
‘‘(D) fourth, by the Secretary to carry out the approval,
reauthorization, and compliance investigations of retail
stores and wholesale food concerns under section 9.’’.
SEC. 847. LIMITATION ON FEDERAL MATCH.
Section 16(a)(4) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2025(a)(4)) is amended by inserting after the comma at the end
the following: ‘‘but not including recruitment activities,’’.
SEC. 848. STANDARDS FOR ADMINISTRATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 16 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977
(7 U.S.C. 2025) is amended by striking subsection (b).
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) The first sentence of section 11(g) of the Food Stamp
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020(g)) is amended by striking ‘‘the
Secretary’s standards for the efficient and effective administra-
tion of the program established under section 16(b)(1) or’’.
H. R. 3734—231
(2) Section 16(c)(1)(B) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7
U.S.C. 2025(c)(1)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘pursuant to sub-
section (b)’’.
SEC. 849. WORK SUPPLEMENTATION OR SUPPORT PROGRAM.
Section 16 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2025),
as amended by section 848(a), is amended by inserting after sub-
section (a) the following:
‘‘(b) WORK SUPPLEMENTATION OR SUPPORT PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) DEFINITION OF WORK SUPPLEMENTATION OR SUPPORT
PROGRAM.—In this subsection, the term ‘work supplementation
or support program’ means a program under which, as deter-
mined by the Secretary, public assistance (including any bene-
fits provided under a program established by the State and
the food stamp program) is provided to an employer to be
used for hiring and employing a public assistance recipient
who was not employed by the employer at the time the public
assistance recipient entered the program.
‘‘(2) PROGRAM.—A State agency may elect to use an amount
equal to the allotment that would otherwise be issued to a
household under the food stamp program, but for the operation
of this subsection, for the purpose of subsidizing or supporting
a job under a work supplementation or support program estab-
lished by the State.
‘‘(3) PROCEDURE.—If a State agency makes an election
under paragraph (2) and identifies each household that partici-
pates in the food stamp program that contains an individual
who is participating in the work supplementation or support
program—
‘‘(A) the Secretary shall pay to the State agency an
amount equal to the value of the allotment that the house-
hold would be eligible to receive but for the operation
of this subsection;
‘‘(B) the State agency shall expend the amount received
under subparagraph (A) in accordance with the work
supplementation or support program in lieu of providing
the allotment that the household would receive but for
the operation of this subsection;
‘‘(C) for purposes of—
‘‘(i) sections 5 and 8(a), the amount received under
this subsection shall be excluded from household
income and resources; and
‘‘(ii) section 8(b), the amount received under this
subsection shall be considered to be the value of an
allotment provided to the household; and
‘‘(D) the household shall not receive an allotment from
the State agency for the period during which the member
continues to participate in the work supplementation or
support program.
‘‘(4) OTHER WORK REQUIREMENTS.—No individual shall be
excused, by reason of the fact that a State has a work
supplementation or support program, from any work require-
ment under section 6(d), except during the periods in which
the individual is employed under the work supplementation
or support program.
‘‘(5) LENGTH
OF
PARTICIPATION.—A State agency shall
provide a description of how the public assistance recipients
H. R. 3734—232
in the program shall, within a specific period of time, be moved
from supplemented or supported employment to employment
that is not supplemented or supported.
‘‘(6) DISPLACEMENT.—A work supplementation or support
program shall not displace the employment of individuals who
are not supplemented or supported.’’.
SEC. 850. WAIVER AUTHORITY.
Section 17(b)(1) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2026(b)(1)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph
(C); and
(2) in subparagraph (A)—
(A) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘benefits to eligible
households, including’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘benefits
to eligible households, and may waive any requirement
of this Act to the extent necessary for the project to be
conducted.
‘‘(B) PROJECT REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(i) PROGRAM GOAL.—The Secretary may not con-
duct a project under subparagraph (A) unless—
‘‘(I) the project is consistent with the goal of
the food stamp program of providing food assist-
ance to raise levels of nutrition among low-income
individuals; and
‘‘(II) the project includes an evaluation to
determine the effects of the project.
‘‘(ii) PERMISSIBLE PROJECTS.—The Secretary may
conduct a project under subparagraph (A) to—
‘‘(I) improve program administration;
‘‘(II) increase the self-sufficiency of food stamp
recipients;
‘‘(III) test innovative welfare reform strate-
gies; or
‘‘(IV) allow greater conformity with the rules
of other programs than would be allowed but for
this paragraph.
‘‘(iii) RESTRICTIONS
ON
PERMISSIBLE
PROJECTS.—
If the Secretary finds that a project under subpara-
graph (A) would reduce benefits by more than 20 per-
cent for more than 5 percent of households in the
area subject to the project (not including any household
whose benefits are reduced due to a failure to comply
with work or other conduct requirements), the project—
‘‘(I) may not include more than 15 percent
of the State’s food stamp households; and
‘‘(II) shall continue for not more than 5 years
after the date of implementation, unless the Sec-
retary approves an extension requested by the
State agency at any time.
‘‘(iv) IMPERMISSIBLE
PROJECTS.—The Secretary
may not conduct a project under subparagraph (A)
that—
‘‘(I) involves the payment of the value of an
allotment in the form of cash, unless the project
was approved prior to the date of enactment of
this subparagraph;
H. R. 3734—233
‘‘(II) has the effect of substantially transferring
funds made available under this Act to services
or benefits provided primarily through another
public assistance program, or using the funds for
any purpose other than the purchase of food, pro-
gram administration, or an employment or train-
ing program;
‘‘(III) is inconsistent with—
‘‘(aa) the last 2 sentences of section 3(i);
‘‘(bb) the last sentence of section 5(a),
insofar as a waiver denies assistance to an
otherwise eligible household or individual if
the household or individual has not failed to
comply with any work, behavioral, or other
conduct requirement under this or another
program;
‘‘(cc) section 5(c)(2);
‘‘(dd) paragraph (2)(B), (4)(F)(i), or (4)(K)
of section 6(d);
‘‘(ee) section 8(b);
‘‘(ff) section 11(e)(2)(B);
‘‘(gg) the time standard under section
11(e)(3);
‘‘(hh) subsection (a), (c), (g), (h)(2), or (h)(3)
of section 16;
‘‘(ii) this paragraph; or
‘‘(jj) subsection (a)(1) or (g)(1) of sec-
tion 20;
‘‘(IV) modifies the operation of section 5 so
as to have the effect of—
‘‘(aa) increasing the shelter deduction to
households with no out-of-pocket housing costs
or housing costs that consume a low percent-
age of the household’s income; or
‘‘(bb) absolving a State from acting with
reasonable promptness on substantial reported
changes in income or household size (except
that this subclause shall not apply with regard
to changes related to food stamp deductions);
‘‘(V) is not limited to a specific time
period; or
‘‘(VI) waives a provision of section 26.
‘‘(v) ADDITIONAL INCLUDED PROJECTS.—A pilot or
experimental project may include’’;
(B) by striking ‘‘to aid to families with dependent chil-
dren under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act’’
and inserting ‘‘are receiving assistance under a State pro-
gram funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)’’; and
(C) by striking ‘‘coupons. The Secretary’’ and all that
follows through ‘‘Any pilot’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘coupons.
‘‘(vi) CASH PAYMENT PILOT PROJECTS.—Any pilot’’.
H. R. 3734—234
SEC. 851. RESPONSE TO WAIVERS.
Section 17(b)(1) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2026(b)(1)), as amended by section 850, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
‘‘(D) RESPONSE TO WAIVERS.—
‘‘(i) RESPONSE.—Not later than 60 days after the
date of receiving a request for a waiver under subpara-
graph (A), the Secretary shall provide a response that—
‘‘(I) approves the waiver request;
‘‘(II) denies the waiver request and describes
any modification needed for approval of the waiver
request;
‘‘(III) denies the waiver request and describes
the grounds for the denial; or
‘‘(IV) requests clarification of the waiver
request.
‘‘(ii) FAILURE TO RESPOND.—If the Secretary does
not provide a response in accordance with clause (i),
the waiver shall be considered approved, unless the
approval is specifically prohibited by this Act.
‘‘(iii) NOTICE OF DENIAL.—On denial of a waiver
request under clause (i)(III), the Secretary shall pro-
vide a copy of the waiver request and a description
of the reasons for the denial to the Committee on
Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of
the Senate.’’.
SEC. 852. EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES PROGRAM.
Section 17 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2026)
is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
‘‘(d) EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the other provisions of
this subsection, a State may elect to carry out an employ-
ment initiatives program under this subsection.
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT.—A State shall be eligible to carry
out an employment initiatives program under this sub-
section only if not less than 50 percent of the households
in the State that received food stamp benefits during the
summer of 1993 also received benefits under a State pro-
gram funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) during the summer of 1993.
‘‘(2) PROCEDURE.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A State that has elected to carry
out an employment initiatives program under paragraph
(1) may use amounts equal to the food stamp allotments
that would otherwise be issued to a household under the
food stamp program, but for the operation of this sub-
section, to provide cash benefits in lieu of the food stamp
allotments to the household if the household is eligible
under paragraph (3).
‘‘(B) PAYMENT.—The Secretary shall pay to each State
that has elected to carry out an employment initiatives
program under paragraph (1) an amount equal to the value
of the allotment that each household participating in the
H. R. 3734—237
alternative accounting periods to determine if Federal costs
do not exceed the Federal costs had the State agency not
elected to carry out the Program.
‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION.—If the Secretary determines that the
Program has increased Federal costs under this Act for any
fiscal year or any portion of any fiscal year, the Secretary
shall notify the State not later than 30 days after the Secretary
makes the determination under paragraph (1).
‘‘(3) ENFORCEMENT.—
‘‘(A) CORRECTIVE ACTION.—Not later than 90 days after
the date of a notification under paragraph (2), the State
shall submit a plan for approval by the Secretary for
prompt corrective action that is designed to prevent the
Program from increasing Federal costs under this Act.
‘‘(B) TERMINATION.—If the State does not submit a
plan under subparagraph (A) or carry out a plan approved
by the Secretary, the Secretary shall terminate the
approval of the State agency operating the Program and
the State agency shall be ineligible to operate a future
Program.
‘‘(f) RULES AND PROCEDURES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In operating a Program, a State or politi-
cal subdivision of a State may follow the rules and procedures
established by the State or political subdivision under a State
program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or under the food stamp program.
‘‘(2) STANDARDIZED DEDUCTIONS.—In operating a Program,
a State or political subdivision of a State may standardize
the deductions provided under section 5(e). In developing the
standardized deduction, the State shall consider the work
expenses, dependent care costs, and shelter costs of participat-
ing households.
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—In operating a Program, a State or
political subdivision shall comply with the requirements of—
‘‘(A) subsections (a) through (g) of section 7;
‘‘(B) section 8(a) (except that the income of a household
may be determined under a State program funded under
part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
601 et seq.));
‘‘(C) subsection (b) and (d) of section 8;
‘‘(D) subsections (a), (c), (d), and (n) of section 11;
‘‘(E) paragraphs (8), (12), (16), (18), (20), (24), and
(25) of section 11(e);
‘‘(F) section 11(e)(10) (or a comparable requirement
established by the State under a State program funded
under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 601 et seq.)); and
‘‘(G) section 16.
‘‘(4) LIMITATION
ON
ELIGIBILITY.—Notwithstanding any
other provision of this section, a household may not receive
benefits under this section as a result of the eligibility of
the household under a State program funded under part A
of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.),
unless the Secretary determines that any household with
income above 130 percent of the poverty guidelines is not
eligible for the program.’’.
H. R. 3734—238
(b) STATE PLAN PROVISIONS.—Section 11(e) of the Food Stamp
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020(e)), as amended by sections 819(b)
and 835, is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(25) if a State elects to carry out a Simplified Food Stamp
Program under section 26, the plans of the State agency for
operating the program, including—
‘‘(A) the rules and procedures to be followed by the
State agency to determine food stamp benefits;
‘‘(B) how the State agency will address the needs of
households that experience high shelter costs in relation
to the incomes of the households; and
‘‘(C) a description of the method by which the State
agency will carry out a quality control system under section
16(c).’’.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) Section 8 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2017), as amended by section 830, is amended—
(A) by striking subsection (e); and
(B) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e).
(2) Section 17 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2026) is amended—
(A) by striking subsection (i); and
(B) by redesignating subsections (j) through (l) as sub-
sections (i) through (k), respectively.
SEC. 855. STUDY OF THE USE OF FOOD STAMPS TO PURCHASE
VITAMINS AND MINERALS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation
with the National Academy of Sciences and the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention, shall conduct a study on the use of food
stamps provided under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C.
2011 et seq.) to purchase vitamins and minerals.
(b) ANALYSIS.—The study shall include—
(1) an analysis of scientific findings on the efficacy of and
need for vitamins and minerals, including—
(A) the adequacy of vitamin and mineral intakes in
low-income populations, as shown by research and surveys
conducted prior to the study; and
(B) the potential value of nutritional supplements in
filling nutrient gaps that may exist in the United States
population as a whole or in vulnerable subgroups in the
population;
(2) the impact of nutritional improvements (including vita-
min or mineral supplementation) on the health status and
health care costs of women of childbearing age, pregnant or
lactating women, and the elderly;
(3) the cost of commercially available vitamin and mineral
supplements;
(4) the purchasing habits of low-income populations with
regard to vitamins and minerals;
(5) the impact of using food stamps to purchase vitamins
and minerals on the food purchases of low-income house-
holds; and
(6) the economic impact on the production of agricultural
commodities of using food stamps to purchase vitamins and
minerals.
H. R. 3734—239
(c) REPORT.—Not later than December 15, 1998, the Secretary
shall report the results of the study to the Committee on Agriculture
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate.
SEC. 856. DEFICIT REDUCTION.
It is the sense of the Committee on Agriculture of the House
of Representatives that reductions in outlays resulting from this
title shall not be taken into account for purposes of section 252
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985
(2 U.S.C. 902).
Subtitle B—Commodity Distribution
Programs
SEC. 871. EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 201A of the Emergency Food Assist-
ance Act of 1983 (Public Law 98–8; 7 U.S.C. 612c note) is amended
to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 201A. DEFINITIONS.
‘‘In this Act:
‘‘(1) ADDITIONAL
COMMODITIES.—The term ‘additional
commodities’ means commodities made available under section
214 in addition to the commodities made available under sec-
tions 202 and 203D.
‘‘(2) 
AVERAGE
MONTHLY
NUMBER
OF
UNEMPLOYED
PERSONS.—The term ‘average monthly number of unemployed
persons’ means the average monthly number of unemployed
persons in each State during the most recent fiscal year for
which information concerning the number of unemployed per-
sons is available, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics of the Department of Labor.
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT AGENCY.—The term ‘eligible recipi-
ent 
agency’ 
means 
a 
public 
or 
nonprofit 
organiza-
tion that—
‘‘(A) administers—
‘‘(i) an emergency feeding organization;
‘‘(ii) a charitable institution (including a hospital
and a retirement home, but excluding a penal institu-
tion) to the extent that the institution serves needy
persons;
‘‘(iii) a summer camp for children, or a child nutri-
tion program providing food service;
‘‘(iv) a nutrition project operating under the Older
Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.), includ-
ing a project that operates a congregate nutrition site
and a project that provides home-delivered meals; or
‘‘(v) a disaster relief program;
‘‘(B) has been designated by the appropriate State
agency, or by the Secretary; and
‘‘(C) has been approved by the Secretary for participa-
tion in the program established under this Act.
‘‘(4) EMERGENCY FEEDING ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘emer-
gency feeding organization’ means a public or nonprofit
organization that administers activities and projects (including
H. R. 3734—240
the activities and projects of a charitable institution, a food
bank, a food pantry, a hunger relief center, a soup kitchen,
or a similar public or private nonprofit eligible recipient agency)
providing nutrition assistance to relieve situations of emergency
and distress through the provision of food to needy persons,
including low-income and unemployed persons.
‘‘(5) FOOD BANK.—The term ‘food bank’ means a public
or charitable institution that maintains an established oper-
ation involving the provision of food or edible commodities,
or the products of food or edible commodities, to food pantries,
soup kitchens, hunger relief centers, or other food or feeding
centers that, as an integral part of their normal activities,
provide meals or food to feed needy persons on a regular basis.
‘‘(6) FOOD PANTRY.—The term ‘food pantry’ means a public
or private nonprofit organization that distributes food to low-
income and unemployed households, including food from sources
other than the Department of Agriculture, to relieve situations
of emergency and distress.
‘‘(7) POVERTY LINE.—The term ‘poverty line’ has the mean-
ing provided in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block
Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)).
‘‘(8) SOUP KITCHEN.—The term ‘soup kitchen’ means a pub-
lic or charitable institution that, as an integral part of the
normal activities of the institution, maintains an established
feeding operation to provide food to needy homeless persons
on a regular basis.
‘‘(9) TOTAL VALUE OF ADDITIONAL COMMODITIES.—The term
‘total value of additional commodities’ means the actual cost
of all additional commodities that are paid by the Secretary
(including the distribution and processing costs incurred by
the Secretary).
‘‘(10) VALUE OF ADDITIONAL COMMODITIES ALLOCATED TO
EACH STATE.—The term ‘value of additional commodities allo-
cated to each State’ means the actual cost of additional commod-
ities allocated to each State that are paid by the Secretary
(including the distribution and processing costs incurred by
the Secretary).’’.
(b) STATE PLAN.—Section 202A of the Emergency Food Assist-
ance Act of 1983 (Public Law 98–8; 7 U.S.C. 612c note) is amended
to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 202A. STATE PLAN.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—To receive commodities under this Act, a
State shall submit a plan of operation and administration every
4 years to the Secretary for approval. The plan may be amended
at any time, with the approval of the Secretary.
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Each plan shall—
‘‘(1) designate the State agency responsible for distributing
the commodities received under this Act;
‘‘(2) set forth a plan of operation and administration to
expeditiously distribute commodities under this Act;
‘‘(3) set forth the standards of eligibility for recipient agen-
cies; and
‘‘(4) set forth the standards of eligibility for individual
or household recipients of commodities, which shall require—
‘‘(A) individuals or households to be comprised of needy
persons; and