I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6688 
To modify the Restaurant Meals Program under the supplemental nutrition 
assistance program in response to COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 1, 2020 
Mr. PANETTA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To modify the Restaurant Meals Program under the supple-
mental nutrition assistance program in response to 
COVID–19, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘SNAP COVID–19 
Anti-Hunger Restaurant Relief for You Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM UNDER THE SUP-
PLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) COVERED PERIOD.—The term ‘‘covered pe-
riod’’ means the period beginning on the first day of 
the first month that begins after the date of enact-
ment of this Act and ending on the last day of the 
month that follows the month in which the public 
health emergency declared by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services under section 319 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on 
January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID–19, is 
lifted. 
(2) 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.). 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
(b) DEFINITION OF FOOD.—Section 3(k) of the Food 
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(k)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘clauses (3), 
(4), (5), (7), (8), and (9) of this subsection’’ and in-
serting ‘‘paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (7) through 
(10)’’; 
(2) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; and 
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(3) in paragraph (9), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘, and (10) in the case of 
households residing in an area for which a major 
disaster has been declared by the President under 
section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), 
regardless of whether individual assistance has been 
authorized under such major disaster declaration, or 
a public health emergency has been declared by the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services under sec-
tion 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 247d), meals prepared for and served by a 
public or private nonprofit establishment (approved 
by an appropriate State or local agency) that feeds 
such households and by private establishments that 
contract with the appropriate agency of the State to 
offer meals for such households at concessional 
prices subject to section 9(h).’’. 
(c) TEMPORARY STREAMLINING OF STATE PARTICI-
PATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
during the covered period, the Secretary shall waive 
the requirements under section 11(e)(25) of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
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2020(e)(25)) for a State plan of operation required 
under subsection (d) of that section. 
(2) COVERED PERIOD.—The Secretary may ex-
tend the covered period for the purpose of carrying 
out paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that 
such action is necessary to prevent hunger in areas 
impacted 
by 
the 
Coronavirus 
Disease 
2019 
(COVID–19). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF NEW RETAILERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—During the covered period, 
for the sole purpose of expanding the number and 
capacity of retail food establishments, including res-
taurants, authorized to accept and redeem program 
benefits in order to adequately serve households that 
are eligible to receive program benefits, the Sec-
retary may waive any requirements under section 9 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2018). 
(2) NO FEES.—Nothing in this subsection per-
mits any retail food establishment, including a res-
taurant, authorized to accept and redeem program 
benefits to charge fees for the redemption of those 
benefits, including fees described in section 7(h)(13) 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2016(h)(13)). 
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(e) CONTRACTS WITH PRIVATE ESTABLISHMENTS.— 
In the case of a contract that a State or the Federal Gov-
ernment enters into with a private establishment to offer 
meals at concessional prices under the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) that is effective on 
the day before the public health emergency described in 
subsection (a)(1) is lifted, if the Secretary determines, on 
or after the date on which the public health emergency 
described in subsection (a)(1) is lifted, that the participa-
tion of the private establishment is not necessary to meet 
a documented need in accordance with section 11(e)(25) 
of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
2020(e)(25)), the Secretary may— 
(1) allow the operation of the private establish-
ment to continue without that determination of need 
for not more than 180 days following the date of 
that determination by the Secretary; or 
(2) terminate the contract and provide justifica-
tion for the termination to the State in which the 
private establishment is located. 
(f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the public health emergency described in subsection 
(a)(1) is lifted, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Sen-
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ate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Representatives a report that includes— 
(1) a description of the effectiveness of this Act 
in— 
(A) increasing access to concessional meals 
during the public health emergency; and 
(B) preventing hunger and improving 
health and safety among program recipients de-
scribed in paragraphs (3), (4), and (9) of sec-
tion 3(k) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(k)); and 
(2) recommendations for additional statutory 
authority needed by the Secretary— 
(A) to prevent hunger among program re-
cipients during any public health emergency or 
major disaster; and 
(B) to improve health and safety among 
program 
recipients 
during 
ongoing 
social 
distancing policies relating to the Coronavirus 
Disease 2019 (COVID–19). 
Æ 
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