I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3809 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand the eligibility 
of students to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 17, 2019 
Mr. LAWSON of Florida (for himself, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. 
MOORE, Ms. NORTON, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. BLUMENAUER, 
and Mr. SOTO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand 
the eligibility of students to participate in the supple-
mental nutrition assistance program, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘College Student Hun-
ger Act of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 
SUPPLEMENTAL 
NUTRITION 
ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITION OF HOUSEHOLD.—Section 3(m) of 
the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(m)) 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘, except 
with respect to the individuals described in para-
graph (5)(F),’’ before ‘‘constitute’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (5), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(F) Students that are enrolled in and are 
residents of an institution of higher education 
(as defined in section 102 of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) and are 
eligible to participate in the supplemental nutri-
tion assistance program under paragraphs (1) 
through (11) of section 6(e).’’. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY OF STUDENTS.—Section 6(e) of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2015(e)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘20’’ and in-
serting ‘‘10’’; 
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
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(3) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant under 
section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1070a); 
‘‘(10) has an expected family contribution equal 
to zero, as determined by the procedures established 
in part F of title IV of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087kk et seq.); or 
‘‘(11) is independent (as the term is defined 
under subparagraph (B), (C), (D), (G), or (H) of 
section 480(d)(1) of the Higher Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 1087vv(d)(1))).’’. 
SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY NOTIFICATION FOR STUDENTS. 
Not later than 1 year after the effective date under 
section 7, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Agriculture, shall— 
(1) notify each student who completes the Free 
Application for Federal Student Aid and is eligible 
for a Federal Pell Grant under section 401 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) or 
has an expected family contribution equal to zero, as 
determined by the procedures established in part F 
of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
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U.S.C. 1087kk et seq.), that the student may be eli-
gible for the supplemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram established under the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); and 
(2) direct each student notified under para-
graph (1) to the appropriate State resource to apply 
for benefits under that program. 
SEC. 4. COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATION ON STUDENT 
ELIGIBILITY FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NU-
TRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COLLEGE
STUDENT.—The term ‘‘college 
student’’ means a student enrolled in an institution 
of higher education. 
(2) INSPECTOR GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Inspec-
tor General’’ means the Inspector General of the De-
partment of Agriculture. 
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 
(4) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 
the supplemental nutrition assistance program es-
tablished under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.). 
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(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(b) AUDIT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the effective date under section 7, the Inspector 
General shall conduct an audit of the operations of 
the Food and Nutrition Service to examine the pro-
cedures and outreach practices used by the Food 
and Nutrition Service to provide to State agencies 
information about the eligibility of students at insti-
tutions of higher education for participation in the 
program. 
(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 90 
days after completing the audit under paragraph 
(1), the Inspector General shall submit to Congress 
a report describing the results of the audit. 
(c) STRATEGIES REPORT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the Inspector General submits to Congress a report 
under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report that describes the strategy to be used 
by the Food and Nutrition Service— 
(1) to increase the awareness of State agencies 
and institutions of higher education about— 
(A) college student hunger; 
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(B) the eligibility of college students for 
the program; and 
(C) the procedures and resources available 
to college students who are participating in the 
program to access benefits under the program; 
(2) to identify existing or potential barriers and 
mitigation strategies with respect to those barriers; 
and 
(3) to update the strategic communications plan 
under subsection (d). 
(d) UPDATED STATE OUTREACH PLAN GUIDANCE.— 
Not later than 90 days after the Inspector General sub-
mits to Congress a report under subsection (b)(2), the 
Secretary shall publish an updated State Outreach Plan 
Guidance that— 
(1) describes existing data on college student 
hunger; 
(2) describes the manner in which college stu-
dents can access the supplemental nutrition assist-
ance program; 
(3) recommends outreach activities to address 
college student hunger and encourages States to 
conduct those and other outreach activities; 
(4) provides a template for a State to submit 
information to the Secretary describing the outreach 
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activities being carried out by the State to address 
college student hunger; and 
(5) contains updated guidance based on the re-
sults of the audit conducted under subsection (b)(1) 
and the contents of the report submitted under sub-
section (c). 
SEC. 5. DEMONSTRATION PILOT PROGRAM. 
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 31. COLLEGE STUDENT HUNGER PILOT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) COLLEGE
STUDENT.—The term ‘college 
student’ means a student enrolled in an institution 
of higher education. 
‘‘(2) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘institution of higher education’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 
‘‘(3) PILOT
PROGRAM.—The term ‘pilot pro-
gram’ means the pilot program established under 
subsection (b). 
‘‘(b) PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary, in collabora-
tion with the Secretary of Education, shall establish a pilot 
program under which the Secretary shall carry out dem-
onstration projects in accordance with subsection (c)— 
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‘‘(1) to decrease student hunger at institutions 
of higher education; and 
‘‘(2) to reduce barriers to college students fully 
utilizing supplemental nutrition assistance program 
benefits at institutions of higher education. 
‘‘(c) DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.—To carry out the 
pilot program, the Secretary shall carry out demonstration 
projects that test the following new supplemental nutrition 
assistance program delivery methods: 
‘‘(1) Allowing a college student receiving sup-
plemental nutrition assistance program benefits to 
use those benefits or the cash value of those bene-
fits— 
‘‘(A) to purchase prepared foods from a 
campus dining hall, on-campus store, or other 
on-campus merchant or provider that typically 
sells prepared meals and is affiliated with the 
institution of higher education at which the stu-
dent is enrolled; and 
‘‘(B) to pay the institution of higher edu-
cation the cost of an on-campus college meal 
plan, in whole or in part. 
‘‘(2) Allowing a college student to use an EBT 
card or a campus-specific card at any of the loca-
tions described in paragraph (1)(A). 
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‘‘(d) PROJECT LIMIT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 
out not more than 10 demonstration projects under 
the pilot program simultaneously. 
‘‘(2) INSTITUTIONS.—The Secretary shall carry 
out not more than 1 demonstration project under 
the pilot program at any single institution of higher 
education. 
‘‘(e) PROJECT
ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary 
shall establish criteria and parameters for selecting, oper-
ating, monitoring, and terminating each demonstration 
project under the pilot program. 
‘‘(f) PROJECT TERMINATION.—To the maximum ex-
tent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure that the termi-
nation of a demonstration project under the pilot program 
shall not cause sudden adverse changes or the elimination 
of benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance 
program for students participating in the demonstration 
project. 
‘‘(g) PROGRAM TERMINATION.—The pilot program 
shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date 
on which the pilot program is established. 
‘‘(h) EVALUATION.—For the duration of the pilot 
program, the Secretary shall, in collaboration with the 
Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics 
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and the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, 
conduct an annual evaluation of each demonstration 
project carried out under the pilot program during the 
year covered by the evaluation, including an analysis of 
the extent to which the project is meeting the desired out-
comes. 
‘‘(i) REPORT.—For the duration of the pilot program, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committees 
on Agriculture and Education and Labor of the House of 
Representatives an annual report that includes— 
‘‘(1) a description of each demonstration project 
carried out under the pilot program during the year 
covered by the report; 
‘‘(2) the evaluation conducted under subsection 
(h); and 
‘‘(3) recommendations for legislation to improve 
the supplemental nutrition assistance program to 
better serve college students. 
‘‘(j) WAIVER AND MODIFICATION AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
the Secretary may, as may be necessary solely to 
carry out the pilot program— 
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‘‘(A) waive any provision under this Act, 
including— 
‘‘(i) the requirement relating to local 
sales tax under section 4(a); 
‘‘(ii) requirements relating to the 
issuance and use of supplemental nutrition 
assistance program benefits under section 
7; and 
‘‘(iii) requirements for approval of re-
tail food stores under section 9; and 
‘‘(B) modify the definitions under this Act 
for the purposes of the pilot program, including 
the definition of— 
‘‘(i) the term ‘food’ under section 
3(k); 
‘‘(ii) the term ‘household’ under sec-
tion 3(m); and 
‘‘(iii) the term ‘retail food store’ under 
section 3(o). 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not 
waive a provision or modify a definition under para-
graph (1) if the waiver or modification will— 
‘‘(A) cause increased difficulty for any 
household to apply for or access supplemental 
nutrition assistance program benefits; or 
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‘‘(B) reduce the value of those benefits for 
any household. 
‘‘(k) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such 
sums as are necessary to carry out this section.’’. 
SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall 
take effect on the first day of the fiscal year that begins 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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