HOME Meals Act
Bill: H.R.4933 | Sponsor: Rep. Vela, Filemon (D-TX)
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Helping Our Most Elderly Secure Meals Act or the HOME Meals Act
This bill establishes a competitive grant program for states to provide area agencies on aging and local nutrition service providers with funding to purchase or repair vehicles for delivering meals to older individuals. The vehicles must be capable of safely storing hot and cold foods.
In awarding these grants, the Administration on Aging shall prioritize states based on the proportion of older adults in their populations, poverty rates, and unmet need for nutrition services.

To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish a competitive 
  grant program to enable area agencies on aging and local nutrition 
 service providers to purchase, customize, or repair vehicles with hot 
and cold food storage for delivering meals to older individuals through 
   the Congregate Nutrition Program or the Home-Delivered Nutrition 
                                Program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Our Most Elderly Secure 
Meals Act'' or the ``HOME Meals Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR VEHICLES WITH HOT AND COLD FOOD STORAGE FOR MEAL 
              DELIVERY TO OLDER INDIVIDUALS.

    Subpart 3 of part C of title III of the Older Americans Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3030g-21 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 340. GRANTS FOR VEHICLES WITH HOT AND COLD FOOD STORAGE FOR MEAL 
              DELIVERY.

    ``(a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary shall award grants in 
accordance with subsection (c) on a competitive basis to States 
receiving a grant under section 331 or 336 to enable such States to 
provide direct funds to area agencies on aging and local nutrition 
service providers to purchase, customize, or repair vehicles meeting 
the requirement under subsection (b) to be used in delivering meals to 
older individuals through a nutrition project supported or eligible for 
support under either such section.
    ``(b) Vehicle Requirement.--The requirement under this subsection 
is that the vehicle has the capability to safely store hot food and 
cold food, as determined by the Assistant Secretary, while delivering 
meals.
    ``(c) Application and Selection Process.--
            ``(1) Applications.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A State receiving a grant under 
                section 331 or 336 that seeks a grant under this 
                section shall submit an application to the Assistant 
                Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
                such information as the Assistant Secretary may 
                reasonably require, including the demonstrations 
                described in subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) Demonstrations.--An application under this 
                paragraph shall contain a demonstration--
                            ``(i) of how the State submitting the 
                        application will use the grant to enable 
                        nutrition projects supported or eligible for 
                        support under section 331 or 336 to enhance the 
                        delivery of services to older individuals with 
                        greatest economic need and older individuals 
                        with greatest social need; and
                            ``(ii) that each such nutrition project has 
                        a program, in effect within the State on the 
                        date on which the State submits the 
                        application, to use vehicles meeting the 
                        requirement under subsection (b) to provide 
                        nutrition services supported or eligible for 
                        support under section 331 or 336.
            ``(2) Selection.--The Assistant Secretary, in selecting 
        States meeting the requirements under paragraph (1) to receive 
        a grant under this section, shall give preference to--
                    ``(A) States with a high percentage of individuals 
                who are 60 years of age or older;
                    ``(B) States with a high rate of individuals at or 
                below the poverty line; and
                    ``(C) States with a high level of demand or unmet 
                need for nutrition services provided by area agencies 
                on aging or local nutrition service providers.
    ``(d) Grant Amount.--A grant awarded under this section shall be 
for an amount that is equal to or less than $3,000,000.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to 
carry out this section.''.
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