Title: Equitable Nutrition Assistance for the Territories Act of 2020
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Equitable Nutrition Assistance for the Territories Act of 2020
This bill allows Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) after submitting a plan of operation that is approved by the Department of Agriculture (USDA). (Under current law, the three territories receive block grants instead of participating in SNAP.)
Such territories may request from USDA a one-time grant to pay the cost of the technology infrastructure necessary to implement SNAP, including the cost of information technology, information technology personnel, and training relating to program implementation.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6846 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6846

    To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide for the 
 participation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and 
 the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the supplemental 
         nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 2020

   Ms. Velazquez (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Meng, Mr. 
 Espaillat, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Norton, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Moore, Mr. 
   Grijalva, and Miss Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico) 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 for the 
 participation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and 
 the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 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 ``Equitable Nutrition Assistance for 
the Territories Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. PARTICIPATION AND TRANSITION OF PUERTO RICO, AMERICAN SAMOA, 
              AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS IN SUPPLEMENTAL 
              NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
(7 U.S.C. 2012) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (r), by inserting ``the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands,'' after ``Guam,''; and
            (2) in subsection (u)(3), by inserting ``the Commonwealth 
        of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 
        Northern Mariana Islands,'' after ``Guam,''.
    (b) Eligible Households.--Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by inserting 
        ``the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,'' after 
        ``Guam,'';
            (2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``and Guam,'' and 
        inserting ``Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American 
        Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,''; 
        and
            (3) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``the 
                Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the 
                Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,'' after 
                ``Hawaii,'' each place it appears; and
                    (B) in paragraph (6)(B), in the matter preceding 
                clause (i), by inserting ``the Commonwealth of Puerto 
                Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
                Mariana Islands,'' after ``Guam,''.
    (c) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--The amendments made by subsections (a) and 
        (b) shall be effective with respect to the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the 
        Northern Mariana Islands, as applicable, on the date described 
        in paragraph (2) if the Secretary of Agriculture submits to 
        Congress a certification under subsection (f)(2)(B) of section 
        19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028).
            (2) Date described.--The date referred to in paragraph (1) 
        is, with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American 
        Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
        the date established by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
        American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, respectively, in the applicable plan of operation 
        submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture under subsection 
        (f)(1)(A) of section 19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
        (7 U.S.C. 2028).
    (d) Transition of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern 
Mariana Islands to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.--Section 
19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
                Islands.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Transition of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern 
Mariana Islands to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.--
            ``(1) Request for participation.--A governmental entity may 
        submit to the Secretary a request to participate in the 
        supplemental nutrition assistance program, which shall include 
        a plan of operation described in section 11(d), which shall 
        include the date on which the governmental entity intends to 
        begin participation in the program.
            ``(2) Certification by secretary.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall certify a 
                governmental entity that submits a request under 
                paragraph (1) as qualified to participate in the 
                supplemental nutrition assistance program if the 
                Secretary--
                            ``(i) approves the plan of operation 
                        submitted with the request, in accordance with 
                        this subsection; and
                            ``(ii) approves the applications described 
                        in paragraph (4) in accordance with that 
                        paragraph.
                    ``(B) Submission of certification to congress.--The 
                Secretary shall submit each certification under 
                subparagraph (A) to Congress.
            ``(3) Determination of plan of operation.--
                    ``(A) Approval.--The Secretary shall approve a plan 
                of operation submitted with a request under paragraph 
                (1) if the plan satisfies the requirements under this 
                Act.
                    ``(B) Disapproval.--If the Secretary does not 
                approve a plan of operation submitted with a request 
                under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide to the 
                governmental entity a statement that describes each 
                requirement under this Act that is not satisfied by the 
                plan.
            ``(4) Retail food stores.--If the Secretary approves a plan 
        of operation under paragraph (3)(A) for a governmental entity, 
        the Secretary shall accept applications from retail food stores 
        located in that governmental entity to be authorized under 
        section 9 to participate in the supplemental nutrition 
        assistance program.
            ``(5) Puerto rico.--In the case of a request under 
        paragraph (1) by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
        notwithstanding subsection (g), the Secretary shall allow the 
        Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to continue to carry out under the 
        supplemental nutrition assistance program the Family Market 
        Program established pursuant to this section.
            ``(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are 
        necessary to carry out this subsection for fiscal year 2020, to 
        remain available until expended.
    ``(g) Technical Infrastructure Implementation.--
            ``(1) In general.--A governmental entity may request from 
        the Secretary a 1-time grant to pay for the cost of the 
        technology infrastructure necessary to implement the 
        supplemental nutrition assistance program, including the cost 
        of information technology, information technology personnel, 
        and training relating to program implementation.
            ``(2) Application.--A governmental entity making a request 
        under paragraph (1) for a grant shall submit to the Secretary 
        an application at such time, in such manner, and containing 
        such information as the Secretary may require, including--
                    ``(A) a description of the costs to be paid for by 
                the grant; and
                    ``(B) a plan for implementing the technology 
                infrastructure described in paragraph (1)--
                            ``(i) within 1 year of receiving the grant; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) that is reasonably cost efficient, 
                        as determined by the Secretary.
            ``(3) Determination.--
                    ``(A) Time limit.--The Secretary shall approve or 
                deny an application submitted under paragraph (2) not 
                later than 180 days after the date on which the 
                application is submitted.
                    ``(B) Denial.--If the Secretary denies an 
                application submitted under paragraph (2), the 
                governmental entity may amend the plan described in 
                subparagraph (B) of that paragraph, in coordination 
                with the Secretary, to resubmit to the Secretary for 
                approval.
            ``(4) Funding.--
                    ``(A) In general.--There is appropriated to the 
                Secretary, out of funds in the Treasury not otherwise 
                appropriated, $5,000,000 to carry out this subsection, 
                to remain available until 3 years after the date of 
                enactment of this subsection.
                    ``(B) Reversion of funds.--Any funds appropriated 
                to the Secretary under subparagraph (A) that remain 
                available by the date described in that subparagraph 
                shall revert to the Treasury.
    ``(h) Termination of Effectiveness.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subsections (a) through (e) shall cease 
        to be effective with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands, as applicable, on the date described in 
        paragraph (2) if the Secretary submits to Congress a 
        certification under subsection (f)(2)(B) for that governmental 
        entity.
            ``(2) Date described.--The date referred to in paragraph 
        (1) is, with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
        American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, the date established by the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands, respectively, in the applicable plan of 
        operation submitted to the Secretary under subsection 
        (f)(1)(A).''.
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