lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-03-13 00:00:00

No Hungry Kids Act

Nullifies the rule published by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) on January 26, 2012, establishing nutrition standards for the school lunch and breakfast programs. (This rule is summarized as requiring most schools to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat in meals; and meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements.)

Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to prohibit USDA's minimum nutritional requirements for school lunches from being construed as establishing a calorie maximum for individual school lunches or prohibiting a child from eating a lunch provided by the child's parent or legal guardian.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-03-19 00:00:00

Reducing Federal Mandates on School Lunch Act

This bill prohibits the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from implementing, administering, or enforcing a specified regulation, or promulgating or enforcing any new rule or regulation, establishing a maximum calorie limit or quantity of grains, meat, or meat alternatives for the school lunch program.

USDA may not implement, administer, or enforce specified rules and regulations with respect to any school food authority that certifies to its state that it: (1) has calculated the costs of complying with such rules and regulations; and (2) has determined, in a manner consistent with school district operational procedures, that it cannot operate a food service program without incurring increased costs for complying with those rules and regulations.

Those rules and regulations are:

 the rule entitled "National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010"; any new rule regarding foods sold in schools that are not foods provided under the school lunch or breakfast programs; a specified regulation and any new rule or regulation regarding school lunch price increases; and a specified regulation and any new rule or regulation which establishes new food-based meal patterns, nutrition standards, or meal planning approaches for the school breakfast program. USDA may not define the phrase "costs of complying" or establish or suggest how a school food authority is to calculate those costs or increased costs for complying.

The prohibitions will remain in effect until a law is enacted that extends by at least five fiscal years the authorization or duration of one or more school lunch or breakfast programs.

 The bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to prohibit USDA from implementing any regulation that would require a reduction in the quantity of sodium contained in federally reimbursed meals, foods, and snacks sold in schools below specified July 2014 maximum levels allowed in school breakfasts for school year 2014-2015.

With respect to grain contents, USDA shall only require that half of all grains in such food items are whole grain-rich. School food authorities must comply with the applicable grain component or standard with respect to the school lunch or school breakfast program in effect before July 1, 2014.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-03-26 00:00:00

Weekends Without Hunger Act

Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture, subject to the availability of appropriations, to implement a pilot program providing commodities, on a competitive basis, to nonprofits for the provision of nutritious food to at-risk school children on weekends and during extended school holidays during the school year. (At-risk school children are those who participate in the school lunch program and reside in an area served by a school in which at least 50% of the students receive free or reduced price meals under the school lunch or breakfast programs.)

Includes elementary and secondary schools, school food authorities, food banks or pantries, homeless shelters, and other Secretary-approved emergency feeding agencies as eligible nonprofit recipients of such commodities.

Requires commodity recipients to satisfy safe food storage, handling, and delivery standards established by the Secretary.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) complete an interim evaluation of the pilot program by November 30, 2018, and (2) submit a final report to Congress by December 31, 2020, that contains an evaluation of such program and any recommendations the Secretary may have for legislative action.

Authorizes appropriations for the pilot program.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-03-26 00:00:00

Summer Meals Act of 2015

Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to redefine "areas in which poor economic conditions exist," where the summer food service program for children may operate, as areas in which at least 40% (currently, 50%) of the children have been determined to be eligible for free or reduced price school meals under the school lunch and breakfast programs.

Reimburses service institutions (other than school food authorities) for up to one meal and one snack per child each day during after-school hours, weekends, and school holidays during the regular school calendar. (Currently, such institutions are reimbursed for meals and snacks served to children over the summer months or to children who are on vacation under a continuous school calendar.)

Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to award competitive grants to service institutions to increase participation in the summer food service program for children at congregate feeding sites through innovative approaches to limited transportation and mobile meal trucks.

Allows service institutions that are participating in the summer food service program for children to serve up to three meals, or two meals and one snack, during each day of operation. (Currently, this option is reserved for camps and service institutions that serve meals primarily to migrant children.)
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Social welfare
Date: 2015-05-14 00:00:00

No Welfare for Weed Act of 2015

This bill amends: (1) the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to exclude marijuana products from items that may be purchased with food stamps; and (2) part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require states to maintain policies that prevent the use of TANF in any electronic benefit transfer transaction in any establishment that offers marijuana for sale.

States that have not reported to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on their implementation of the policies and practices required by this Act, or which have not implemented such policies and practices, shall have the amount of their family assistance grants reduced by 5%.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-05-15 00:00:00

Nutritious Options for Meals Act of 2015 

This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to apply nutritional standards for the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to foods purchased for USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program), with the addition of lean meat and poultry.

Foods purchased for SNAP must be of the kind prescribed by USDA in implementing WIC requirements that: (1) food contain nutrients determined by nutritional research to be lacking in the diets of pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, or children; or (2) food promote the health of the population served by the program. Examples of foods acceptable under the bill include vegetables, fruits, milk, juice, breakfast cereal, cheese, eggs, yogurt, peanut butter, legumes, whole grain bread, and lean meat or poultry.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-05-19 00:00:00

School Milk Nutrition Act of 2015 

This bill revises the requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and other Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.

The bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to permit schools participating in the NSLP to offer students low-fat flavored milk containing no more than 150 calories per 8-ounce serving.

For students who cannot consume fluid milk because of a medical or other dietary need, schools may offer a nondairy beverage that is nutritionally equivalent to low-fat milk and meets USDA nutritional standards, including fortification of calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin B-12. (Under current law, the substitute is only required to include fortification of calcium, protein, vitamin A, and vitamin D to levels found in cow's milk.)

In establishing national school nutritional standards, USDA must provide that containers of all beverages sold in schools have the same maximum volume.

USDA must also: (1) study and report to Congress on recent trends in fluid milk consumption in schools; (2) carry out a pilot program to test and demonstrate strategies by which schools can increase the consumption of fluid milk; (3) make lactose-free milk with an extended shelf life available to schools; and (4) allow women participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to receive reduced fat milk for themselves and their children upon request.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-05-21 00:00:00

Healthy School Meals Flexibility Act

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to prohibit the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from implementing any regulation that would require a reduction in the quantity of sodium contained in federally reimbursed meals, foods, and snacks sold in schools below specified July 2014 maximum levels allowed in school breakfasts for school year 2014-2015.

With respect to grain contents, USDA shall only require that half of all grains in such food items are whole grain-rich. School food authorities must comply with the applicable grain component or standard with respect to the school lunch or school breakfast program in effect before July 1, 2014.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-06-03 00:00:00

Salad Bars in Schools Expansion Act

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish and implement a plan, including through a five-year program of competitive grants, to promote the use of salad bars in schools participating in the school lunch program.

Priority in the award of grants may be given to entities that: (1) serve schools in which at least 50% of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches or that are located in food deserts, or (2) provide nutrition education. (A food desert is an area without ready access to fresh, healthful, and affordable food.)

USDA shall revise the March 27, 2013, policy memorandum SP 31-2013, "Salad Bars in the National School Lunch Program," in light of recommendations submitted to Congress under this Act.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-06-04 00:00:00

Wise Investment in our Children Act or the WIC Act 

This bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to increase the allowable age from five to six for children to participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-06-10 00:00:00

Stop Child Summer Hunger Act of 2015

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require the Department of Agriculture to establish a program providing eligible households with summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards in order to give children access to food during the summer months to: (1) reduce or eliminate children's food insecurity and hunger, and (2) improve their nutritional status.

An "eligible household" is a household that includes one or more children who are eligible to receive free or reduced price meals under the school lunch or breakfast programs.

The amount on each summer EBT card is set at $150 per child in 2017, with adjustments thereafter reflecting changes in reimbursement rates for school meals under the school lunch program.

If children are enrolled to receive free or reduced price meals under the school lunch or breakfast programs, they must be enrolled in this program without further application.

Summer EBT cards may be used only to purchase food from retail food stores that have been approved for participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program).
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Social welfare
Date: 2015-07-09 00:00:00

Preserving Welfare for Needs Not Weed Act 

This bill amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to require a state receiving a TANF grant to maintain policies and practices necessary to prevent assistance under the TANF program from being used in any electronic benefit transfer (via a card) at any establishment that offers marijuana for sale.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-07-29 00:00:00

School Lunch Affordability Act

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act by repealing its paid lunch equity requirements (which generally require schools to charge students for paid meals at a price that is, on average, equal to to the difference between free meal reimbursement and paid meal reimbursement).
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-07-29 00:00:00

School Food Modernization Act

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to direct the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue loan guarantees to local educational agencies (LEAs), school food authorities, and other eligible entities to finance infrastructure improvements or equipment purchases to facilitate their provision of healthy meals through the school lunch program. USDA must give preference to applicants that demonstrate a substantial or disproportionate need for food service infrastructure or durable equipment, and shall establish fees for the loan guarantee program that are sufficient to cover the federal government's administrative costs in operating the program.

USDA must also award competitive matching grants to assist LEAs, school food authorities, and other eligible entities in purchasing the durable equipment and infrastructure they need to serve healthier meals and improve food safety. In doing so, USDA must give grant priority to applicants that: (1) have identified and are reasonably expected to meet an unmet local or community need, and (2) are located in states that have enacted funding measures to assist them with such purchases. 

In addition, USDA must award competitive matching grants to experienced third-party training institutions to provide school food service personnel with the training and technical assistance they need to: (1) meet school lunch program nutrition standards, and (2) improve the efficacy and efficiency of the school lunch and breakfast programs. 

The bill authorizes these grant and loan programs through FY2021 and, as an offset, rescinds $35 million of the Department of Education's unobligated balance available for administrative expenses. USDA must complete a study on the use of state administrative expense funds.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Health
Date: 2015-07-29 00:00:00

This bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from funding any grant, contract, or cooperative agreement for developing or evaluating a video game to train parents in food parenting practices, including “Kiddio: Food Fight--Training Vegetable Parenting Practices.” Unobligated balances of amounts made available for "Kiddio: Food Fight--Training Vegetable Parenting Practices" are rescinded.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2015-09-10 00:00:00

Grandparents Tax Credit Act of 2015 

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow grandparents of a minor child whose family adjusted gross income does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level a refundable tax credit for up to $500 of the cost of household items (i.e., food, clothing, and other items typically used by or for the benefit of the child) paid for the benefit of such child in a taxable year.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-09-17 00:00:00

Fruit and Vegetables Access for Children Act

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to allow federal grant-funded fresh fruit and vegetable programs carried out by states to include canned, dried, frozen, or pureed fruits and vegetables.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-09-30 00:00:00

Food Security Improvement Act of 2015 

This bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program) benefits to be calculated using a low-cost food plan.

The Department of Agriculture must determine the requirements for the low-cost food plan using the diet described in the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion's publication entitled "The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007" and adjustments specified in this bill.

The bill revises the amounts of nutrition assistance block grants for Puerto Rico and American Samoa and requires the amounts to be modified based on adjustments to the low-cost food plan.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-10-22 00:00:00

Nutrition Education Act

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require a local educational agency that participates in a school lunch or breakfast program to require each student to receive 50 hours of nutrition education per school year. Such instruction must be consistent with applicable school meal program requirements as well as meet certain other standards with respect to content and delivery.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-10-23 00:00:00

Improving School Nutrition Training Act 

This bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to add requirements regarding the availability of training that the Department of Agriculture provides under current law for local food service personnel.

The training must be scheduled primarily during paid working hours, offered in-person when appropriate, and incorporate hands-on training techniques.

If the training is scheduled outside of working hours, food service personnel must be informed about the necessity of scheduling the program and compensated for attending the program. Personnel may not be penalized for failing to attend a program outside of working hours.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-11-03 00:00:00

Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to revise several provisions related to the child and adult care food program.

Under current law: (1) an institution that provides child or day care under the program may be reimbursed for up to two meals and one supplement per day per child; and (2) a family or group day care home sponsoring organization may receive the same maximum reimbursement, but only with respect to a child maintained in a child care setting for at least eight hours per day. The bill eliminates this distinction between institutions and sponsoring organizations, and increases maximum reimbursement for both to: (1) two meals and one supplement or one meal and two supplements per day per child; or (2) three meals and one supplement or two meals and two supplements per day per child, for each child maintained in a child care setting for at least eight hours per day.

A determination of a for-profit day care center's eligibility to participate in the program shall be in effect for six months.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must issue guidance and, as appropriate, regulations to assist in ensuring a fair and effective process for the identification, review, and correction of serious program deficiencies.

USDA shall establish an advisory committee to examine the feasibility of reducing unnecessary or duplicative paperwork for those participating or seeking to participate in the program.
Topic: Social Welfare — Other
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2015-11-19 00:00:00

Anti-hunger Empowerment Act of 2015 

This bill reduces administrative requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the food stamp program), authorizes funding to increase access to SNAP offices, and authorizes grants for community-based nonprofits to expand anti-hunger activities.

The bill amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to repeal existing provisions regarding administrative costs and authorize the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to pay 75% of the administrative costs for state agencies to increase the operating hours of SNAP offices, reduce wait times, accept online applications, upgrade technology, and provide a checklist of required documents.

If a state agency believes that information provided by a SNAP applicant is incorrect or incomplete, the agency must notify the applicant in writing and include instructions for providing the required information. Unless the information is not provided in response to the request or it cannot be verified, a state must not require an applicant to appear in person. State agencies must not require fingerprints for any member of a household to participate in SNAP or receive benefits.

USDA must report annually to Congress on the comparative progress of states in improving access to SNAP.

Beyond the Soup Kitchen Grants Program Act of 2015 

The Beyond the Soup Kitchen Pilot Program is established to provide grants to community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger groups for programs to reduce hunger, increase the use of nutrition assistance and anti-poverty programs, bolster food security, assist individuals and families to develop assets, promote economic independence, improve nutrition, and reduce obesity.