I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1189 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide greater access 
to the supplemental nutrition assistance program by reducing duplicative 
and burdensome administrative requirements, authorize the Secretary 
of Agriculture to award grants to certain community-based nonprofit 
feeding and anti-hunger groups for the purpose of establishing and imple-
menting a Beyond the Soup Kitchen Pilot Program for certain socially 
and economically disadvantaged populations, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 16, 2017 
Mr. SERRANO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide 
greater access to the supplemental nutrition assistance 
program by reducing duplicative and burdensome admin-
istrative requirements, authorize the Secretary of Agri-
culture to award grants to certain community-based non-
profit feeding and anti-hunger groups for the purpose 
of establishing and implementing a Beyond the Soup 
Kitchen Pilot Program for certain socially and economi-
cally disadvantaged populations, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Anti-hunger Empower-
ment Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) In 2014 the number of Americans facing 
hunger or food insecurity was 48,100,000, and 
15,300,000 children lived in these households. 
5,400,000 seniors ages 60 and up were also experi-
encing food hardship. 
(2) In August 2015 approximately 45,500,000 
people participate in the supplemental nutrition as-
sistance program (SNAP). In fiscal year 2014 on a 
monthly average, 47,600,000 people participated in 
this program, about 15 percent of the United States 
population. SNAP, the Special Supplemental Nutri-
tion Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and 
Children (WIC), and the National School Lunch 
Program (NSLP) are the largest nutrition assist-
ance programs, and 61 percent of food-insecure 
households participated in 1 or more of the 3 pro-
grams. 
(3) Administrative burdens involved in securing 
supplemental nutrition assistance benefits are par-
ticularly burdensome for working families. 
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(4) Each year tens of millions people in the 
United States, including children and seniors, are 
forced to rely on soup kitchens, food pantries, and 
other charitable feeding programs. 
(5) The charitable food distribution system in 
the United States would benefit from increased co-
ordination and technical assistance. 
(6) Helping those who use feeding programs to 
move ‘‘beyond the soup kitchen’’, by promoting the 
values of community, opportunity, and responsibility, 
is a national priority. 
TITLE I—AMENDMENTS TO THE 
FOOD AND NUTRITION ACT 
OF 2008 
SEC. 101. AMENDMENTS TO THE FOOD AND NUTRITION ACT 
OF 2008. 
(a) ADMINISTRATIVE COST SHARING AND QUALITY 
CONTROL.—Section 16(k) of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2025(k)) is amended by striking sub-
section (k) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(k) ADMINISTRATIVE COST FOR INCREASING AC-
CESS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of this sec-
tion, the Secretary is authorized to pay to each State 
agency an amount equal to 75 percent of the administra-
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tive costs incurred by the State agency in carrying out 
new activities not previously funded by the State— 
‘‘(1) to increase the number of hours that sup-
plemental nutrition assistance offices are open on 
weekends and nights if there is neither a decrease in 
the total number of supplemental nutrition assist-
ance offices that are open in the State nor a de-
crease in the number of hours such offices are open 
during the regular work week; 
‘‘(2) to conduct verifiable activities to reduce 
the average wait time that applicants spend at sup-
plemental nutrition assistance offices or to reduce 
the average number of office visits required of appli-
cants; 
‘‘(3) to accept applications for supplemental nu-
trition assistance benefit by means of the Internet; 
‘‘(4) to upgrade computer systems and tech-
nology in ways that specifically increase access to 
the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and 
‘‘(5) at the time of application, to provide appli-
cants with a checklist listing all documents required 
for a complete supplemental nutrition assistance ap-
plication.’’. 
(b) REDUCTION OF BURDENSOME AND DUPLICATIVE 
OFFICE VISITS; PROHIBITION
OF FINGERPRINTING.— 
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Section 11(e)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2020(e)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A) by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’, 
(2) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘In’’ and 
inserting ‘‘that in’’, 
(3) in subparagraph (D) by inserting the fol-
lowing before the semicolon at the end: ‘‘, and the 
fingerprint of any member of a household shall not 
be required for the purpose of participating in the 
supplemental nutrition assistance program or for 
issuance of benefits for which the household would 
otherwise be eligible’’, 
(4) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and 
(D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively, and 
(5) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) that the State agency shall inform house-
holds, at the time of application, that— 
‘‘(i) household members are not required 
to appear in person at the time of application, 
or at any other time, unless— 
‘‘(I) expressly required by this Act; or 
‘‘(II) in accordance with clause (ii); 
and 
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‘‘(ii) if the State agency has a basis to rea-
sonably believe that information provided by a 
household is incorrect or that a household has 
failed to provide information required for par-
ticipation in the supplemental nutrition assist-
ance program, then the State agency shall— 
‘‘(I) provide to the household a writ-
ten statement notifying the household of 
such belief; specifying the factual basis of 
such belief, informing the household of the 
applicable information that is believed to 
be incorrect or missing, and instructing the 
household how to correct or to provide the 
appropriate information; and 
‘‘(II) not require any member of such 
household to appear in person unless either 
the household fails to provide the appro-
priate information or the State agency can-
not verify the accuracy of information the 
household provides in response to the re-
quest made under this subparagraph by 
the State agency;’’. 
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SEC. 102. COMPARATIVE PROGRESS REPORT. 
Section 18 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2027) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) The Secretary shall submit a single, unified, an-
nual report to the appropriate committees of the Congress 
on the comparative progress of States in improving access 
to the supplemental nutrition assistance program. The fol-
lowing statistics shall be included in the report with re-
spect to each particular State: 
‘‘(1) The percentage of supplemental nutrition 
assistance program applications processed within the 
30-day period required by this Act. 
‘‘(2) The average number of days required to 
process expedited applications for supplemental nu-
trition assistance benefits. 
‘‘(3) The average number of days required to 
process regular applications for supplemental nutri-
tion assistance benefits. 
‘‘(4) The average number of office visits that 
each applicant makes to receive supplemental nutri-
tion assistance benefits. 
‘‘(5) Statewide negative errors rates. 
‘‘(6) The overall participation rate of house-
holds that are eligible to participate in the supple-
mental nutrition assistance program. 
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‘‘(7) The information specified in paragraphs 
(1) through (6) for a particular geographical area in 
such State.’’. 
TITLE II—ANTI-HUNGER GRANTS 
PROGRAM 
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Beyond the Soup 
Kitchen Grants Program Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 202. BEYOND THE SOUP KITCHEN PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The Sec-
retary shall establish a pilot program, to be known as the 
‘‘Beyond the Soup Kitchen Pilot Program’’, in accordance 
with this title. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the pilot program 
are— 
(1) to provide grant assistance to a primary 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
group in each pilot community for purposes of allo-
cating subgrants to other community-based non-
profit feeding and anti-hunger groups in such com-
munity; and 
(2) to provide technical assistance grants. 
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SEC. 203. SELECTION OF PRIMARY COMMUNITY-BASED 
NONPROFIT 
FEEDING 
AND 
ANTI-HUNGER 
GROUPS AND SUBGRANTEES. 
(a) GRANTS TO PRIMARY COMMUNITY-BASED NON-
PROFIT FEEDING AND ANTI-HUNGER GROUPS.—Under 
the pilot program and for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
award not more than 30 grants to primary community- 
based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger groups, in ac-
cordance with this section. 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for an award of a 
grant for a fiscal year under this section, a community- 
based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group shall sub-
mit to the Secretary an application that contains a de-
scription of how the applicant proposes to use the grant 
funds to implement the components of the pilot program 
listed in subsection (c) in the pilot community of the com-
munity-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group. 
The application shall be submitted in such form, at such 
time, and containing such other information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—An application 
for a grant under this section shall contain the following 
components: 
(1) PROGRAMS COMPONENT.—A program com-
ponent that describes, with respect to a target popu-
lation of a pilot community and in accordance with 
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section 204, programs designed for the following 
purposes: 
(A) To reduce hunger in such target popu-
lation. 
(B) To increase the use of nutrition assist-
ance and anti-poverty programs by such target 
population. 
(C) To bolster food security within such 
target population. 
(D) To assist individuals and families 
within such target population to develop assets. 
(E) To promote the economic independence 
of individuals and families within such target 
population. 
(F) To improve the nutrition of such tar-
get population. 
(G) To reduce the occurrence of obesity in 
such target population. 
(2) COMMUNITY FOOD COUNCIL.—A community 
food council component that describes the formation 
and operation of a community food council designed 
to engage emergency feeding groups, Federal, State, 
and local government agencies, the cooperative ex-
tension system, land-grant colleges and universities, 
and historically African-American, Hispanic, and 
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American Indian educational institutes for the pur-
poses described under paragraph (1). 
(3) SUBGRANTS
COMPONENT.—A subgrants 
component that describes a plan for the allocation of 
grants funds to subgrantees by the primary commu-
nity-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group, 
in accordance with subsection (e). 
(d) CRITERIA.—In evaluating an application of a 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
group, the Secretary shall consider, in addition to such 
other criteria as the Secretary determines appropriate, the 
extent to which the application of the group demonstrates 
the following: 
(1) The capacity to serve as a leader for other 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
groups in the pilot community and to successfully 
provide technical assistance and other assistance to 
the greatest number of such groups. 
(2) Successful experience— 
(A) in conducting a program described in 
section 204(b); 
(B) in working with a national service, 
community service, or volunteer service group 
that conducts a program described in section 
204(b); 
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(C) in managing and using Federal grant 
funds, including grants for community food and 
nutrition programs authorized under section 
681(a) of the Community Services Block Grant 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9922(a)); 
(D) in working cooperatively with a nutri-
tion assistance and anti-poverty program, other 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti- 
hunger groups, and faith-based and other com-
munity programs in the pilot community; and 
(E) in researching, monitoring, and evalu-
ating the hunger problems in the pilot commu-
nity of such organization and nutrition assist-
ance and anti-poverty programs. 
(3) In the case of a community-based nonprofit 
feeding and anti-hunger group with a large budget, 
the existence of a financial mechanism to implement 
the proposal and staff expertise to handle large Fed-
eral and private grants, or in the case of a commu-
nity-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group 
with a small budget, proven effectiveness in the de-
livery and coordination of a program described in 
section 204(b). 
(4) The ability to influence other community, 
government, and private resources to assist in the 
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creation and implementation of the pilot program in 
the pilot community of the community-based non-
profit feeding and anti-hunger group. 
(e) SUBGRANTS.— 
(1) SELECTION BY PRIMARY COMMUNITY-BASED 
NONPROFIT FEEDING AND ANTI-HUNGER GROUP RE-
QUIRED.—Under the pilot program, the Secretary 
shall require a primary community-based nonprofit 
feeding and anti-hunger group that is awarded a 
grant under subsection (a) to select at least 10, but 
no more than 200, subgrantees to carry out sub-
grants under the grants. Such subgrants shall be 
used in support of the pilot program in the pilot 
community of such group, in accordance with section 
204. 
(2) SELECTION OF SUBGRANTEES.—A primary 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
group shall select subgrantees for purposes of para-
graph (1)— 
(A) by selecting the subgrantee in the ap-
plication submitted under subsection (b); or 
(B) in consultation with the Secretary of 
Agriculture after evaluating proposals sub-
mitted by subgrantee applicants. 
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SEC. 204. USES OF GRANTS. 
(a) REQUIRED USES
BY PRIMARY COMMUNITY- 
BASED
NONPROFIT
FEEDING
AND
ANTI-HUNGER 
GROUPS.—A primary community-based nonprofit feeding 
and anti-hunger group that is awarded a grant under sec-
tion 203(a) shall— 
(1) allocate at least 60 percent of the grant for 
subgrants in accordance with section 203(e); and 
(2) spend at least 5 percent of the grant on 
evaluation of the pilot program in the pilot commu-
nity of such group. 
(b) ELIGIBLE USES BY PRIMARY COMMUNITY-BASED 
NONPROFIT FEEDING AND ANTI-HUNGER GROUPS AND 
SUBGRANTEES.—Grant funds awarded to a primary com-
munity-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group or 
allocated to a subgrantee under the pilot program may be 
used for any of the following purposes: 
(1) ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS.—With respect to a 
target population in a pilot community, any of the 
following programs: 
(A) A program that informs such popu-
lation about benefits under nutrition assistance 
and anti-poverty programs, pre-screens mem-
bers of such population to determine the eligi-
bility of such members to receive such benefits, 
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and assists such members to access relevant 
benefits. 
(B) A program to assist such population to 
transition successfully from welfare to work. 
(C) A program that is likely to result in 
job creation or that involves job training, readi-
ness, placement, or retention activities. 
(D) A program to increase the supply of 
donated foods to community-based nonprofit 
feeding and anti-hunger groups, especially of 
fresh fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious 
foods. 
(E) A program that increases the access of 
such population to fresh fruits, vegetables, and 
other nutritious foods. 
(F) A program that promotes the use of 
farmers’ markets, urban farms, and food-pro-
ducing agriculture projects, especially a pro-
gram that promotes the use of such markets, 
farms, and projects by nutrition assistance and 
anti-poverty programs. 
(G) A program to assess the flow of food, 
from production through consumption, in a 
community. 
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(H) A program that involves nutrition edu-
cation, obesity reduction, or financial manage-
ment activities, especially such activities that 
have hands-on demonstrations or that promote 
physical activity. 
(I) A program that promotes microenter-
prise and small business development, especially 
the development of such a business that is food- 
related. 
(J) A program that assists government 
agencies and nonprofit groups to increase the 
number of sites (and participation in existing 
sites) for after-school snacks and meals pro-
grams under the summer food service program 
for children authorized under section 13 of the 
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1766) and the child and adult care 
food program authorized under section 17 of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1761). 
(K) A program that creates a customer ad-
visory council at a community-based nonprofit 
feeding and anti-hunger group to enable an in-
dividual who obtains food from such group to 
consult with the council on ways to improve the 
operations of such group. 
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(L) A program to increase the assistance 
of national and community service programs, 
including AmeriCorps, Volunteers in Service to 
America 
(AmeriCorps–VISTA), 
Learn 
and 
Serve America, Senior Corps, Freedom Corps, 
and any other volunteer program to aid commu-
nity-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
groups. 
(M) A program to increase the involvement 
of volunteers who have professional skills with 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti- 
hunger groups and other nonprofit groups. 
(N) A program that relates nutrition im-
provement and the problem of hunger within 
such population to broader issues within the 
pilot community, including community develop-
ment and economic improvement. 
(O) A program that promotes the use of 
individual development accounts, as defined in 
section 404(5) of the Assets for Independence 
Act (title IV of Public Law 105–285; 42 U.S.C. 
604 note), or any other such asset-development 
program. 
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(P) With respect to a community-based 
nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group, a pro-
gram to— 
(i) provide technical assistance to such 
group to increase the technical capacities 
of such group; or 
(ii) enable the group to more effi-
ciently and effectively use computer tech-
nology, recruit volunteers, write grants, or 
otherwise increase the fundraising and op-
eration of such group. 
(Q) A program that provides for the provi-
sion of technical assistance and informational 
materials on the Internet that relate to any pro-
gram described in subparagraphs (A) through 
(P). 
(R) A program to coordinate activities of 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti- 
hunger groups within the pilot community, in-
cluding activities that further any of the fol-
lowing goals: 
(i) Creation of joint advertising, com-
munications, and referral systems. 
(ii) Coordination of hours of oper-
ations and services provided. 
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(iii) Creation of joint client, funding, 
and other databases, tracking systems, and 
benefits referral systems. 
(iv) Implementation of joint activities 
to reduce hunger, strengthen local food 
systems, reduce poverty, improve economic 
self-sufficiency, and reduce obesity. 
(2) ELIGIBLE
FOOD-RELATED
USES.—Subject 
to the limitation in subsection (c)(1), any of the fol-
lowing food-related purposes: 
(A) Gathering food. 
(B) The collection of perishable, but safe, 
food from entities such as restaurants, caterers, 
and farms, for distribution to a target popu-
lation. 
(C) Packing food. 
(D) Sorting food. 
(E) Processing food. 
(F) Transportation of food. 
(G) Heating, cooling, or freezing of food. 
(H) Storage of food. 
(I) Administrative expenses necessary to 
increase the supply of nutritious food (especially 
fresh fruit and vegetables) distributed by com-
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munity-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
groups. 
(J) Administrative staff and volunteer 
management for purposes of performing activi-
ties listed in subparagraphs (A) through (H). 
(3) ELIGIBLE STIPENDS.—For the provision of 
stipends to customers for expenses incurred by such 
customers for participating in a customer advisory 
council described in subsection (b)(1)(K). 
(c) LIMITATIONS.— 
(1) LIMITATION
ON
FOOD
PURCHASES.—No 
more than 20 percent of the total amount of grant 
funds awarded to a primary community-based non-
profit feeding and anti-hunger group or allocated to 
a subgrantee under the pilot program may be used 
to directly purchase food. 
(2) LIMITATION ON FUNDS EXPENDED TO NA-
TIONAL OR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM.—Grant 
funds awarded to a primary community-based non-
profit feeding and anti-hunger group or allocated to 
a subgrantee under the pilot program may not be 
used to provide a volunteer in a national or commu-
nity service program listed in subsection (b)(1)(L) 
with any educational funding, stipend, health care, 
or child care. 
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SEC. 205. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
(a) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS.—Under the 
pilot program and for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
award grants to technical assistance community-based 
nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger groups, in accordance 
with this section. 
(b) APPLICATION
FOR
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE 
GRANTS.—To be eligible for an award of a grant under 
this section, a technical assistance community-based non-
profit feeding and anti-hunger group shall submit to the 
Secretary an application containing a description of how 
the applicant proposes to use the grant funds to provide 
technical assistance to all pilot communities. The applica-
tion shall be submitted in such form, at such time, and 
containing such other information as the Secretary may 
require. 
(c) CRITERIA TO RECEIVE GRANTS.—In evaluating 
an application of a technical assistance community-based 
nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group, the Secretary 
shall consider, in addition to such other criteria as the 
Secretary determines appropriate, the extent to which the 
application of the technical assistance group demonstrates 
the following: 
(1) The ability to provide capacity-building 
technical assistance to community-based nonprofit 
feeding and anti-hunger groups. 
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(2) Organizational and staff experience in— 
(A) national issues related to emergency 
food programs, food banks, food rescue organi-
zations, the hunger problem, food insecurity, 
anti-poverty programs, and nutrition education; 
(B) providing technical assistance to com-
munity-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
groups and conducting outreach programs on 
nutrition assistance and anti-poverty programs; 
(C) successfully working with national and 
community service programs, including such 
programs listed in section 204(b)(1)(L); 
(D) working cooperatively or in a leader-
ship role with other national, regional, State, 
and local eligible technical entities; and 
(E) working with a wide variety of faith- 
based and community organizations and with 
community-wide religious and civic organiza-
tions. 
(3) Proven financial control mechanisms and 
staff expertise to work with large Federal and pri-
vate grants, or in the case of a technical assistance 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
group with a small operating budget, effectiveness in 
program delivery and coordination. 
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(3) ASSISTANCE
FROM
STATE
AND
LOCAL 
AGENCIES AND LAND-GRANT COLLEGES AND UNI-
VERSITIES.—The Secretary may encourage any ap-
propriate State or local agency or land-grant college 
or university to provide technical assistance to such 
groups or subgrantees to carry out such activities. 
SEC. 206. ALLOCATION OF GRANTS. 
(a) ALLOCATION
BY TYPE
OF GRANT.—Of the 
amounts made available to carry out this title for a fiscal 
year— 
(1) $190,000,000 is available for grants to pri-
mary community-based nonprofit feeding and anti- 
hunger groups authorized under section 203(a); and 
(2) $8,000,000 is available for technical assist-
ance grants authorized under section 205(a). 
(b) ALLOCATION TO PILOT COMMUNITIES.—Of the 
amounts made available under subsection (a)(1) to pri-
mary community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
groups for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate such 
amounts to one primary community-based nonprofit feed-
ing and anti-hunger group in each of the pilot commu-
nities listed in subsection (c) and may allocate such 
amounts to one such group in each pilot community des-
ignated by the Secretary under subsection (d)(2). The 
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amount allocated to a primary community-based nonprofit 
feeding and anti-hunger group— 
(1) shall not be less than $500,000, nor more 
than $20,000,000; and 
(2) shall be in proportion to the number of indi-
viduals and families within the target population of 
the pilot community involved. 
(c) PILOT COMMUNITIES LISTED.—For purposes of 
subsection (b), a pilot community listed in this subsection 
is each of the following areas: 
(1) New York, New York. 
(2) Chicago, Illinois. 
(3) Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
(4) Puerto Rico. 
(5) Indianapolis, Indiana. 
(6) Des Moines, Iowa. 
(7) Toledo, Ohio. 
(8) Savannah, Georgia. 
(9) New Haven, Connecticut. 
(10) Roanoke, Virginia. 
(11) Santa Cruz County, Santa Clara County, 
and Monterey County in California. 
(12) Onondaga County in New York. 
(13) The rural boroughs in Alaska. 
(14) Washington metropolitan region. 
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(15) Pittsburgh and the suburban and rural 
areas in southwestern Pennsylvania. 
(16) Rural counties in eastern Kentucky. 
(17) Counties in northern West Virginia. 
(18) Rural counties in southern Texas. 
(19) Rural counties in southern Missouri. 
(20) Rural counties in north, west, and central 
Wisconsin. 
(d) SPECIFICATION OF AREAS; DESIGNATION OF AD-
DITIONAL PILOT COMMUNITIES.— 
(1) SPECIFICATION OF AREAS.—The Secretary 
shall specify the counties or other areas to be in-
cluded in each of the pilot communities described in 
paragraphs (15) through (20) of subsection (c). 
(2) DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL PILOT COM-
MUNITIES.—The Secretary may designate not more 
than 10 pilot communities in addition to those listed 
in subsection (c). 
SEC. 207. REPORTS AND EVALUATION. 
(a) SUBGRANTEE REPORT TO PRIMARY COMMUNITY- 
BASED
NONPROFIT
FEEDING
AND
ANTI-HUNGER 
GROUP.—Not later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal 
year for which a subgrantee received a subgrant under sec-
tion 203(e), the subgrantee shall submit to the primary 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group 
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that selected the subgrantee under such section a report 
that evaluates the results of the activities, including finan-
cial expenditures, during such fiscal year of the subgrantee 
in carrying out the subgrant. 
(b) PRIMARY COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT FEED-
ING
AND
ANTI-HUNGER
GROUP
REPORTS
TO
SEC-
RETARY.—Not later than 180 days after the end of the 
fiscal year for which a primary community-based nonprofit 
feeding and anti-hunger group received a grant under sec-
tion 203(a), the group shall submit to the Secretary a re-
port that evaluates the results of the activities, including 
financial expenditures, during the preceding fiscal year of 
the group in carrying out the grant. Such report shall in-
clude each report submitted to the group by a subgrantee 
under subsection (a) for such fiscal year. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORTS
TO CONGRESS.—Not later 
than October 31 of each of calendar years 2016 through 
2020, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on 
the progress of the pilot program. 
(d) FINAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
April 30, 2020, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
a report that evaluates the successes and challenges of the 
pilot program and that makes such recommendations as 
the Secretary considers appropriate for similar future 
grants programs. 
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SEC. 208. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS. 
(a) ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF GRANTS.— 
(1) BEYOND
THE
SOUP
KITCHEN
GRANTS.— 
Upon the expiration of a grant awarded to a com-
munity-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
group under section 203(a) and the request of such 
group, the Secretary, in accordance with procedures 
established by the Secretary, may extend the dura-
tion of the grant once, by one fiscal year, if the Sec-
retary determines that the programs established and 
implemented by such group with the grant resulted 
in (or are likely to result in) significant progress in 
satisfying the purposes of the pilot program de-
scribed in section 203(c)(1). 
(2) TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
GRANTS.—Upon 
the expiration of a grant awarded to a technical as-
sistance community-based nonprofit feeding and 
anti-hunger group under section 205(a) and the re-
quest of such entity, the Secretary, in accordance 
with procedures established by the Secretary, may 
extend the duration of the grant once, by one fiscal 
year, if the Secretary determines that such technical 
assistance group has successfully provided all pilot 
programs with technical assistance. 
(b) FORM OF GRANTS.—The Secretary, if the Sec-
retary finds it appropriate, may use cooperative agree-
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ments, as described in section 6305 of title 31, United 
States Code, for purposes of awarding grants to primary 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
groups under section 203(a) and to technical assistance 
community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger 
groups under section 205(a). 
SEC. 209. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(2) PILOT
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘pilot pro-
gram’’ means the Beyond the Soup Kitchen Pilot 
Program established under section 202(a). 
(3) COMMUNITY-BASED
NONPROFIT
FEEDING 
AND ANTI-HUNGER GROUP.—The term ‘‘community- 
based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group’’ 
means an anti-hunger organization, food bank, food 
pantry, soup kitchen, food rescue group, or commu-
nity food security organization that— 
(A) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt 
from tax under section 501(a) of such Code; 
and 
(B) is located in (or regularly provides 
service to) a pilot community. 
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(A) is an anti-hunger group, food bank, 
food pantry, soup kitchen, food rescue group, or 
community food security organization; 
(B) is described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt 
from tax under section 501(a) of such Code; 
and 
(C) has the capacity to provide technical 
assistance to all pilot communities. 
(7) PILOT COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘pilot com-
munity’’ means a community specified in section 
206(b). 
(8) TARGET POPULATION.—The term ‘‘target 
population’’ includes an individual who (or family 
that)— 
(A) earns an income below 200 percent of 
the Federal poverty line; 
(B) suffers from food insecurity; 
(C) earns insufficient income to ensure 
food security for such individual or family; 
(D) lives in a community that suffers from 
poverty, hunger, or food insecurity; 
(E) is homeless; 
(F) receives (or recently received) assist-
ance under a State program funded under part 
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A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. et seq.), relating to temporary assistance 
to needy families; or 
(G) is eligible for benefits under any nutri-
tion assistance or anti-poverty program. 
(9) NUTRITION ASSISTANCE AND ANTI-POVERTY 
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘nutrition assistance and 
anti-poverty program’’ means any Federal, State, or 
local government assistance program offered to low- 
income individuals or families, including the fol-
lowing programs: 
(A) The supplemental nutrition assistance 
program established under section 4 of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2013). 
(B) A program authorized under the Rich-
ard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or Child Nutrition Act of 
1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), including the 
national school lunch program, the national 
school breakfast program, the summer food 
service program for children, the special supple-
mental nutrition program for women, infants, 
and children, and the child and adult care food 
program. 
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(C) The earned income tax credit allowed 
under section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 32). 
(10) FOOD INSECURITY.—The term ‘‘food inse-
curity’’ means a lack of consistent access to food. 
(11) WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN REGION.— 
The term ‘‘Washington metropolitan region’’ in-
cludes the District of Columbia, the counties of 
Montgomery and Prince George’s in Maryland, and 
the counties of Arlington and Fairfax and the cities 
of Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia. 
SEC. 210. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated $200,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2020 to carry out 
this title. 
TITLE III—EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 301. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, this Act and 
the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on Oc-
tober 1, 2017. 
Æ 
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