FORK Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-1684
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2023-05-18
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Latest action: action_date: 2023-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-05-18
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Feeding Our Rural Kids Act of 2023 or the FORK Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) to establish a vehicle summer meal delivery pilot program. (The SFSP is a federally funded, state-administered program that reimburses providers that serve no-cost, healthy meals and snacks to children and teens at summer sites in low-income communities.)</p> <p> The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must award one-year grants of up to $100,000 for service institutions (e.g., school food authorities) to purchase or retrofit vehicles to facilitate the distribution of noncongregate meals as part of the SFSP. USDA must give priority to service institutions with high rates of students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches and that serve a high proportion of students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. USDA must also ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that service institutions receiving grants are located in diverse geographic areas.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1684 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 18, 2023 Mr. Merkley introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish a vehicle summer meal delivery pilot program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Feeding Our Rural Kids Act of 2023 or the FORK Act of 2023 . 2. Vehicle summer meal delivery pilot program Section 13(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1761(a) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (14) Vehicle summer meal delivery pilot program (A) Definition of eligible entity In this paragraph, the term eligible entity means a service institution. (B) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a pilot program (referred to in this paragraph as the pilot program ), to be carried out beginning with the first summer following the date of enactment of this paragraph, to award grants to eligible entities to purchase or retrofit vehicles to facilitate the distribution of noncongregate meals made available pursuant to this section. (C) Priority In awarding grants under the pilot program, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities— (i) with high rates of students who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches under this Act; and (ii) that serve a high proportion of students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. (D) Geographic diversity In awarding grants under the pilot program, the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that eligible entities receiving grants are located in diverse geographic areas. (E) Grants (i) Term The term of a grant awarded under the pilot program shall be 1 year. (ii) Maximum amount The amount of a grant awarded under the pilot program shall not exceed $100,000. (iii) Administrative expenses An eligible entity awarded a grant under the pilot program shall use not more than 10 percent of grant funds for administrative expenses. (iv) Report requirement Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under the pilot program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary a report describing the use of the grant funds, including— (I) the number of entities that benefitted from the grant; and (II) the number of children served as a result of the grant. (F) Technical assistance; best practices The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to, and share best practices with, eligible entities that receive grants under the pilot program. (G) Report Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the administration of the pilot program, including a summary of the reports received pursuant to subparagraph (D)(iii). (H) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the pilot program $1,000,000 for each year of the 3-year period beginning on the date of establishment of the pilot program. .