College Student Hunger Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5595 | Sponsor: Rep. Lawson, Al, Jr. (D-FL)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
College Student Hunger Act of 2021
This bill expands the eligibility of students at institutions of higher education to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP eligibility for students is expanded to include certain low-income students who (1) are employed a minimum of 10 hours per week (currently 20 hours) during the regular school year, (2) are eligible for a federal Pell Grant, (3) have an expected family contribution equal to zero, or (4) are independent.
Additionally, the bill directs

To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand the eligibility 
  of students to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance 
                    program, and for other purposes.

    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 ``College Student Hunger Act of 
2021''.

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 paragraph (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 Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) and are eligible to participate 
                in the supplemental nutrition 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 inserting 
        ``10'';
            (2) in paragraph (7), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (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 U.S.C. 1087kk 
        et seq.), that the student may be eligible for the supplemental 
        nutrition assistance program established under the Food and 
        Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.); and
            (2) direct each student notified under paragraph (1) to the 
        appropriate State resource to apply for benefits under that 
        program.

SEC. 4. COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATION ON STUDENT ELIGIBILITY FOR THE 
              SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION 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 ``Inspector General'' 
        means the Inspector General of the Department 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 established under the Food and 
        Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).
            (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 procedures and outreach practices used by the Food 
        and Nutrition Service to provide to State agencies information 
        about the eligibility of students at institutions 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;
                    (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 submits 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 students can 
        access the supplemental nutrition assistance 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 activities being 
        carried out by the State to address college student hunger; and
            (5) contains updated guidance based on the results of the 
        audit conducted under subsection (b)(1) and the contents of the 
        report submitted under subsection (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 program' means the 
        pilot program established under subsection (b).
    ``(b) Pilot Program.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the 
Secretary of Education, shall establish a pilot program under which the 
Secretary shall carry out demonstration projects in accordance with 
subsection (c)--
            ``(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 supplemental 
        nutrition assistance program benefits to use those benefits or 
        the cash value of those benefits--
                    ``(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 student is enrolled; and
                    ``(B) to pay the institution of higher education 
                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 locations described in 
        paragraph (1)(A).
    ``(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, operating, monitoring, and 
terminating each demonstration project under the pilot program.
    ``(f) Project Termination.--To the maximum extent practicable, the 
Secretary shall ensure that the termination 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 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 outcomes.
    ``(i) Report.--For the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Agriculture, 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--
                    ``(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 retail 
                        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 section 
                        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 paragraph (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
                    ``(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.
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