Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-3492
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large]
Introduced: 2019-06-25
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Child health

Congressional oversight

Elementary and secondary education

Food assistance and relief

Fruit and vegetables

Nutrition and diet

Performance measurement

Public contracts and procurement

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2019-06-25
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-06-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2019</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to make permanent, and expand to at least 15 states, the program to provide more flexibility for states participating in the National School Lunch Program to purchase domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables. The bill also provides additional mandatory funding for the program.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3492 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 25, 2019 Mr. Welch introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to make a permanent program for the procurement of unprocessed fruits and vegetables to provide healthier school meals, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Local School Foods Expansion Act of 2019 . 2. Helping schools serve healthier meals Section 6(f) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1755(f) ) is amended— (1) in the heading, by striking Pilot project for procurement of unprocessed fruits and vegetables and inserting Program for procurement of domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables ; (2) by striking pilot project each place it appears and inserting program ; (3) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows: (1) In general The Secretary shall carry out a program to facilitate the procurement of domestically grown unprocessed fruits and vegetables in not fewer than 15 States receiving funds under this Act. ; (4) in paragraph (2), by inserting domestically grown before unprocessed ; (5) in paragraph (5)— (A) in the heading, by striking and reporting requirements and inserting , reporting requirements, and evaluations ; (B) in subparagraph (B)— (i) in clause (i), by striking and at the end; (ii) in clause (ii), by striking the period and inserting ; and ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (iii) the challenges and opportunities presented by the program, as assessed by the State. ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (C) Program evaluation (i) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this subparagraph, the Secretary shall evaluate the impact of the program, including information on— (I) the quantity and cost of each type of unprocessed fruit and vegetable procured by each State under the program; (II) the benefit of such procurement in conducting school food service in each State, including meeting school meal requirements; and (III) the economic impact the program has had on agricultural producers in each State. (ii) Report Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this subparagraph, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that includes the results and an analysis of the evaluation required under clause (i). ; and (6) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (6) Funding (A) Mandatory funding There is appropriated to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024. (B) Reservation Of the funds appropriated under subparagraph (A) for a fiscal year, $10,000,000 shall be reserved for States selected pursuant to paragraph (1) to carry out State program administration and provide technical assistance and outreach to vendors to become certified to participate in the program under this section. (C) Minimum allotment Of the funds reserved under subparagraph (B), each State selected pursuant to paragraph (1) shall receive not less than $300,000 for each fiscal year during which such State participates in the program under this section. .