Title: Food Assistance for Kids and Families During COVID-19 Act of 2020
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Food Assistance for Kids and Families During COVID-19 Act of 2020
This bill modifies food and nutrition programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to address COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
The bill modifies the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) to require USDA to (1) notify retailers of the existing opportunities through which they can deliver groceries to SNAP participants; and (2) authorize public-private partnerships between itself, authorized SNAP retailers, and community-based organizations to support grocery delivery during the national emergency regarding COVID-19.
The bill provides funding for USDA to support grocery delivery for SNAP participants who are seniors, immunocompromised individuals, or other individuals who are unable to travel safely to a grocery store.
Additionally, the bill (1) extends the certification period under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for infants to two years, instead of the current one year; and (2) authorizes states to increase the certification time under WIC for breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women to two years postpartum.
The bill also allows any federal agency charged with the administration of a federal assistance program to modify or waive administrative conditions during an emergency.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3563 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3563

 To modify nutrition programs to address the Coronavirus Disease 2019, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 22, 2020

   Mr. Casey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To modify nutrition programs to address the Coronavirus Disease 2019, 
                        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 ``Food Assistance for Kids and 
Families During COVID-19 Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) 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.).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Agriculture.
    (b) Program Modifications.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
        shall--
                    (A) notify authorized program retailers of existing 
                opportunities through which retailers can deliver 
                groceries to program participants, including by--
                            (i) allowing an EBT card (as defined in 
                        section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 
                        (7 U.S.C. 2012)) to be swiped on delivery of 
                        groceries to the home (with a mobile device); 
                        and
                            (ii) preparing groceries for pick-up;
                    (B) authorize public-private partnerships between 
                the Department of Agriculture, authorized program 
                retailers, and community-based organizations to support 
                grocery delivery, including through the use of private 
                funds; and
                    (C) in the case of an authorized program retailer 
                or a grocer that is unable to cover the cost of grocery 
                delivery for program participants, use funds made 
                available under paragraph (2) to support grocery 
                delivery for program participants who are seniors, 
                immunocompromised individuals, or other individuals who 
                are unable to travel safely to a grocery store.
            (2) Funding for delivery.--
                    (A) In general.--There is appropriated to the 
                Secretary, out of funds of the Treasury not otherwise 
                appropriated, $500,000,000 to cover the cost of grocery 
                delivery under paragraph (1)(C).
                    (B) Emergency requirement.--The amount made 
                available under subparagraph (A) is designated by the 
                Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant 
                to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and 
                Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 
                901(b)(2)(A)(i)).
                    (C) Administration.--A State agency shall--
                            (i) pay for the cost of grocery delivery 
                        under paragraph (1)(C) for an authorized 
                        program retailer or grocer described in that 
                        subparagraph; and
                            (ii) be reimbursed by the Secretary using 
                        funds appropriated under subparagraph (A).
                    (D) Authorization of appropriations.--In addition 
                to the amount appropriated under subparagraph (A), 
                there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
                Secretary such sums as are necessary to cover the cost 
                of grocery delivery under paragraph (1)(C).
            (3) Termination of authority.--
                    (A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph 
                (B), the authority of the Secretary to carry out 
                paragraphs (1) and (2) shall terminate on the date on 
                which the national emergency declared by the President 
                under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et 
                seq.) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 
                (COVID-19) is terminated.
                    (B) Reimbursement.--The Secretary may reimburse 
                State agencies under paragraph (2)(C)(ii) after the 
                date described in subparagraph (A).
                    (C) Return of funds.--The Secretary shall return to 
                the Treasury any funds appropriated under paragraph 
                (2)(A) that have not been used or obligated under 
                paragraph (2)(C)(ii) by the date described in 
                subparagraph (A).
    (c) Use of Certain Funds.--Section 28(c)(3)(A) of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036a(c)(3)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iv) during a national emergency declared 
                        by the President under the National Emergencies 
                        Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), to distribute at 
                        a noncongregate location, including at a school 
                        or through delivery, free or reduced price 
                        meals under the school lunch program 
                        established under the Richard B. Russell 
                        National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et 
                        seq.) and the school breakfast program 
                        established under section 4 of the Child 
                        Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).''.

SEC. 3. SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

    (a) Certification of Infants.--
            (1) Definition of infant.--Section 17(b) of the Child 
        Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(b)) is amended by 
        striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
            ``(5) Infant.--The term `infant' means--
                    ``(A) a person under 1 year of age; and
                    ``(B) for purposes of subsection (d), a person 
                under 2 years of age.''.
            (2) Certification.--Section 17(d)(3)(A) of the Child 
        Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)(A)) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iv) Infants.--
                                    ``(I) In general.--A State may 
                                elect to certify an infant for a period 
                                of not more than 2 years.
                                    ``(II) Assessments.--In certifying 
                                an infant under subclause (I), a State 
                                shall ensure that the infant receives 
                                required health and nutrition 
                                assessments.''.
    (b) Extension of Postpartum Period.--
            (1) Breastfeeding women.--
                    (A) Definition of breastfeeding woman.--Section 
                17(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
                1786(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (1) and 
                inserting the following:
            ``(1) Breastfeeding woman.--The term `breastfeeding woman' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a woman who is not more than 1 year 
                postpartum and is breastfeeding the infant of the 
                woman; and
                    ``(B) for purposes of subsection (d), a woman who 
                is not more than 2 years postpartum and is 
                breastfeeding the infant of the woman.''.
                    (B) Certification.--Section 17(d)(3)(A)(ii) of the 
                Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
                1786(d)(3)(A)(ii)) is amended by striking ``1 year'' 
                and all that follows through ``earlier'' and inserting 
                ``not more than 2 years postpartum''.
            (2) Postpartum women.--
                    (A) Definition of postpartum woman.--Section 17(b) 
                of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(b)) 
                is amended by striking paragraph (10) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(10) Postpartum woman.--The term `postpartum woman' 
        means--
                    ``(A) a woman up to 6 months after termination of 
                pregnancy; and
                    ``(B) for purposes of subsection (d), a woman up to 
                2 years after termination of pregnancy.''.
                    (B) Certification.--Section 17(d)(3)(A) of the 
                Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)(A)) 
                (as amended by subsection (a)(2)) is amended by adding 
                at the end the following:
                            ``(v) Postpartum women.--A State may elect 
                        to certify a postpartum woman for a period of 
                        up to 2 years after the termination of 
                        pregnancy of the postpartum woman.''.

SEC. 4. WAIVER OF ADMINISTRATIVE CONDITIONS.

    Section 301 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5141) is amended by inserting ``or 
emergency'' after ``major disaster'' each place the term appears.
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