[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6384 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6384
To provide community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger groups
with funding to partner with small and mid-sized restaurants to expand
meal access and delivery for low-income and vulnerable populations
during a pandemic or public health emergency.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 24, 2020
Ms. Velazquez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger groups
with funding to partner with small and mid-sized restaurants to expand
meal access and delivery for low-income and vulnerable populations
during a pandemic or public health emergency.
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 ``Community Meals Fund''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
(1) Vulnerable population.--The term ``vulnerable
population'' means any person who is a member of the target
population, is a low income individual, or receives a means-
tested benefit as defined under this Act.
(2) Grab-and-go meal.--The term ``grab-and-go meals''
refers to pre-packaged, ready to eat food that has been
prepared and cooked no greater than 8 hours prior to being
sealed or enclosed in a container.
(3) Target population.--The term ``target population''
includes an individual who (or family that)--
(A) earns an income below 200 percent of the
Federal poverty line;
(B) suffers from food insecurity;
(C) is homeless;
(D) receives (or recently received) assistance
under a State program funded under part A of title IV
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. et seq.),
relating to temporary assistance to needy families; or
(E) is eligible for benefits under any nutrition
assistance or anti-poverty program.
(4) Community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger
group.--The term ``community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-
hunger group'' means an anti-hunger organization, food bank,
food pantry, soup kitchen, food rescue group, or community food
security organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under
section 501(a) of such Code.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
(6) Low-income individual.--The term ``low-income
individual'' means, with respect to any calendar year, any
individual who lives in a household that has a gross income
that does not exceed 300 percent of the poverty line, as
defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant
Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)).
(7) Homeless.--The term ``homeless'' has the meaning given
such term in subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Act
and the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition in
section 103 of subtitle I of the McKinney-Vento Act.
(8) Crisis housing.--The term ``crisis housing'' means a
supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to
provide temporary living arrangements (including hotels and
motels paid for by Federal, State, or local government programs
for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations,
congregate shelters, and transitional housing).
(9) Means-tested benefit.--The term ``means-tested
benefit'' means a mandatory spending program of the Federal
Government for which, as determined by the Secretary,
eligibility for the program's benefits, or the amount of such
benefits, is determined on the basis of income or resources of
the individual or family seeking the benefit.
(10) Dependent.--The term ``dependent'' has the meaning
given such term in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, except that the term also includes an individual who is
not a citizen or national of the United States if such
individual would otherwise be considered a dependent pursuant
to such section if such individual were a citizen or national
of the United States.
(11) Disaster declaration.--The term ``disaster
declaration'' means the instance a Governor requests a major
disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(12) Temporary community need.--The term ``temporary
community need'' means prepared meals during the time period
under which a disaster declaration is provided. Such community
need shall terminate 30 days after the termination of such
declaration.
(13) Pandemic.--The term ``pandemic'' means a communicable
disease for which the Federal Government has issued a travel
alert or travel warning.
SEC. 3. COMMUNITY MEALS FUND.
(a) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant to address
temporary community needs under this section, a community-based
nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group shall submit to the Secretary
an application that contains a description of how the applicant
proposes to use the grant funds to implement the components of the
temporary grant program listed in subsection (b). The application shall
be submitted in such form, at such time, and containing such other
information as the Secretary may require.
(b) Community Meals Grant Program Components.--An application for a
grant under this section shall contain an assurance that the applicant
will expand the capacity of community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-
hunger groups and schools to meet the needs of children, families, and
vulnerable populations in a pandemic by--
(1) contracting with small and mid-sized business
restaurants or small and mid-sized food contractors that are
small business concerns as defined in section 3 of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) for--
(A) preparing, cooking, and storing grab-and-go
meals;
(B) serving meals to vulnerable populations or make
them available for pick up, or distributed in high
poverty areas designated by State and local agencies;
(C) bolstering food security for children,
dependents, families, and the elderly in rural and hard
to reach communities;
(D) bolstering food security for dependents, target
populations, and families in crisis housing; and
(E) improving the nutrition of vulnerable
populations.
(c) Criteria.--In evaluating an application of a community-based
nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group to receive a grant, the
Secretary shall consider criteria as the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(d) Grant Administration.--
(1) Amount.--A grant awarded under this section may not
exceed $500,000.
(2) Renewals.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary may renew a grant
awarded under this section with respect to an eligible
entity if the entity--
(i) submits to the Secretary an application
for renewal at such time, in such manner, and
containing such information as the Secretary
may require; and
(ii) demonstrates in such application
that--
(I) grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement funds made available to the
entity were used in a manner required
under the most recently approved
application of the entity under this
section; and
(II) the entity has made progress
in achieving the objectives of the
initial application approved for the
entity under this section.
(B) Duration.--A grant shall be eligible for
renewal so long as a disaster declaration is active on
the date of the renewal application.
(e) Supplement, Not Supplant, Requirement.--A grant, contract, or
cooperative agreement made under this Act shall be expended to
supplement, and not supplant, the expenditures of the eligible entity
involved and the value of in-kind contributions.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this section $20,000,000 during the 1-year period beginning on May
1, 2020.
(b) Availability.--Funds authorized to be appropriated under
subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit a community-based
nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group from receiving a grant under
this Act for any vulnerable population otherwise served by such group
with other Federal funds.
SEC. 6. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.
(a) Grantee Report to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after the
end of the fiscal year for which a grantee receives a grant under this
Act, such grantee shall submit to the Secretary a report that contains
an evaluation of the results of the activities, including financial
expenditures, made during such fiscal year to carry out the program for
which such grant is received.
(b) Annual Reports to Congress.--Not later than January 1 following
the end of fiscal year for which funds are appropriated to carry out
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing
the progress of the programs carried out with grants made for such
fiscal year.
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