The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“Text of Senate Amendment 5292” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the in the Senate section section on pages S4295-S4296 on Aug. 6.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SA 5292. Mr. MERKLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5194 proposed by Mr. Schumer to the bill H.R. 5376, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of S. Con. Res. 14; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle A of title II, add the following:
SEC. 20002. SUMMER ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER FOR CHILDREN
PROGRAM.
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act is amended by inserting after section 13 (42 U.S.C. 1761) the following:
``SEC. 13A. SUMMER ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER FOR CHILDREN
PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered indian tribal organization.--The term
`covered Indian Tribal organization' means an Indian Tribal organization that participates in the special supplemental nutrition program.
``(2) Eligible child.--The term `eligible child' means, with respect to a summer, a child who was, during the school year immediately preceding such summer--
``(A) certified to receive free or reduced price lunch under the school lunch program under this Act;
``(B) certified to receive free or reduced price breakfast under the school breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773); or
``(C) enrolled in a school--
``(i) described in subparagraph (B), (C), (D), or (E) of section 11(a)(1); or
``(ii) that is under a local educational agency that elects to receive special assistance payments under subparagraph (F) of that section.
``(3) Eligible household.--The term `eligible household' means a household that includes at least 1 eligible child.
``(4) Program.--The term `program' means the program established under subsection (b).
``(5) Special supplemental nutrition program.--The term
`special supplemental nutrition program' means the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children established under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786).
``(6) Summer ebt benefits.--The term `summer EBT benefits' means benefits provided under the program, during the summer months, through electronic benefit transfer.
``(7) Supplemental nutrition assistance program.--The term
`supplemental nutrition assistance program' means the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).
``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a program, to be known as the `Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children Program', under which States and covered Indian Tribal organizations participating in the program shall, for summer 2024 and summer 2025, issue summer EBT benefits to eligible households for the purpose of providing nutrition assistance during the summer months to ensure children have continued access to food when school is not in session.
``(c) Use of Benefits.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), summer EBT benefits issued by a State participating in the program may be used only to purchase food (as defined in section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012)) from retail food stores that have been approved for participation in--
``(A) the supplemental nutrition assistance program in accordance with section 9 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 2018); or
``(B) a nutrition assistance program in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or American Samoa that is funded by a grant from the Department of Agriculture.
``(2) States participating in wic.--In the case of a State participating in the program that participated in a demonstration project carried out under section 749(g) of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (Public Law 111-80; 123 Stat. 2132), during calendar year 2018 using a special supplemental nutrition program model, summer EBT benefits may also be used to purchase supplemental foods (as defined in section 17(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966
(42 U.S.C. 1786(b))) from retailers that have been approved for participation in--
``(A) the special supplemental nutrition program; or
``(B) the program under this section.
``(3) Covered indian tribal organizations.--Summer EBT benefits issued by a covered Indian Tribal organization participating in the program may only be used to purchase the supplemental foods described in paragraph (2).
``(d) Amount.--Summer EBT benefits issued under the program shall be in an amount, per summer month for each eligible child in an eligible household, that is--
``(1) for calendar year 2024, equal to $65; and
``(2) for calendar year 2025, equal to the amount described in paragraph (1), adjusted to the nearest lower dollar increment to reflect changes to the cost of the thrifty food plan (as defined in section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012)) for the 12-month period ending on November 30 of the preceding calendar year.
``(e) Form of Benefits.--Summer EBT benefits may be issued--
``(1) in the form of an electronic benefit transfer card; or
``(2) through electronic delivery.
``(f) Enrollment in Program.--
``(1) State requirements.--States participating in the program shall--
``(A) automatically enroll eligible children in the program without further application; and
``(B)(i) require local educational agencies to allow eligible households to opt out of participation in the program; and
``(ii) establish procedures for opting out of such participation.
``(2) Covered indian tribal organization requirements.-- Covered Indian Tribal organizations participating in the program shall, to the maximum extent practicable, meet the requirements described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1).
``(g) Implementation Grants.--Not earlier than January 1, 2023, the Secretary shall provide grants to States and covered Indian Tribal organizations to build capacity for implementing the program.
``(h) Alternate Plans in the Case of Continuous School Calendar.--The Secretary shall establish an alternative method for determining the schedule and number of days during which summer EBT benefits may be issued under the program in the case of children who are under a continuous school calendar.
``(i) Funding.--
``(1) In general.--In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Secretary, for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2025, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as are necessary to carry out this section (including for administrative expenses incurred by the Secretary, States, covered Indian Tribal organizations, and local educational agencies), to remain available for the 2-fiscal year period following the date such amounts are made available.
``(2) Implementation grant funding.--In addition to amounts otherwise available, including under paragraph (1), there is appropriated to the Secretary for fiscal year 2024, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated,
$50,000,000, to remain available until expended, to carry out subsection (g).
``(j) Sunset.--The authority under this section shall terminate on September 30, 2025.''.
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