[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3357 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3357
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to enhance State efforts to
cross-enroll participants to improve nutritional outcomes for pregnant
women, postpartum women, and young children, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 27, 2020
Mr. Brown introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to enhance State efforts to
cross-enroll participants to improve nutritional outcomes for pregnant
women, postpartum women, and young children, and for other purposes.
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 ``WIC Enrollment Collaboration Act of
2020''.
SEC. 2. STATE EFFORTS TO ENHANCE CROSS-ENROLLMENT TO IMPROVE
NUTRITIONAL OUTCOMES FOR PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN
AND YOUNG CHILDREN.
(a) In General.--Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42
U.S.C. 1786) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(r) State Efforts To Enhance Cross-Enrollment To Improve
Nutritional Outcomes for Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Young
Children.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Eligible woman and child.--The term `eligible
woman and child' means an individual that is any of the
following:
``(i) A pregnant woman.
``(ii) A woman not more than 1 year
postpartum.
``(iii) An infant.
``(iv) A child.
``(B) Medicaid benefits.--The term `Medicaid
benefits' means items and services provided under the
Medicaid program.
``(C) Medicaid program.--The term `Medicaid
program' means the program of medical assistance under
a State plan established under title XIX of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
``(D) Special supplemental nutrition program.--The
term `special supplemental nutrition program' means the
special supplemental nutrition program for women,
infants, and children established by this section.
``(E) Supplemental nutrition assistance program.--
The term `supplemental nutrition assistance program'
means the supplemental nutrition assistance program
under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011
et seq.).
``(2) Report on cross-enrollment.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than April 30, 2022,
and April 30 of each year thereafter, the Secretary
shall gather the data and conduct the analyses
necessary to submit to the Committees on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry and Finance of the Senate and
the Committees on Agriculture, Education and Labor, and
Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a
report that measures and describes the extent to which
eligible women and children receiving benefits under
the supplemental nutrition assistance program or
Medicaid benefits are certified to participate in the
special supplemental nutrition program.
``(B) Specific measures.--Each report under
subparagraph (A) shall include, for each State and each
category of individual described in clauses (i) through
(iv) of paragraph (1)(A)--
``(i) the average monthly number of
eligible women and children that received
benefits under the supplemental nutrition
assistance program in the preceding year;
``(ii) the average monthly number of
eligible women and children that received
Medicaid benefits in the preceding year and the
income of which was less than the limit
described in subsection (d)(2)(A)(i); and
``(iii) the percentage of the eligible
women and children--
``(I) described in clause (i) that
were certified to receive benefits
under the special supplemental
nutrition program in the preceding
year; and
``(II) described in clause (ii)
that were certified to receive benefits
under the special supplemental
nutrition program in the preceding
year.
``(C) Cross-enrollment gains.--Beginning with the
second report submitted under subparagraph (A), each
report submitted under that subparagraph shall identify
each State in which a percentage described in subclause
(I) or (II) of subparagraph (B)(iii) increased by 5
percentage points from the previous year.
``(D) Best practices.--Each report under
subparagraph (A) shall include a description of best
practices to facilitate certification under the special
supplemental nutrition program of eligible women and
children that receive benefits under the supplemental
nutrition assistance program or Medicaid benefits.
``(E) Funding.--Of the funds authorized to be
appropriated under subsection (g)(1)(A), the Secretary
shall use $2,000,000 to carry out this paragraph, to
remain available until expended, of which not less than
$500,000 shall be used to support State provision of
data under paragraph (7)(A), to remain available until
expended.
``(3) Cross-enrollment plans; grants.--
``(A) Cross-enrollment plans.--Not later than April
20, 2023, and April 30 of each year thereafter, each
State shall submit to the Secretary, and implement on
approval of the Secretary, an annual cross-enrollment
plan that includes--
``(i) goals for increasing each percentage
described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii);
``(ii) measures to be carried out by the
State to achieve those goals, including by
making improvements or modifications to
information systems, data matching, or
enhancing referrals; and
``(iii) a timeline for the State to
implement the measures described in clause
(ii).
``(B) Cross-enrollment grants.--
``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall
award competitive grants to States (including
State agencies that administer the supplemental
nutrition assistance program, the Medicaid
program, or the special supplemental nutrition
program in the State) to implement the cross-
enrollment plan described in subparagraph (A)
of the State or to increase any percentage
described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii).
``(ii) Use of funds.--A State shall use
grant funds awarded under clause (i) to pay
costs relating to implementing the cross-
enrollment plan of the State or increasing any
percentage described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii),
including the cost of--
``(I) making technology
improvements;
``(II) analyzing data relating to
cross-enrollment in the supplemental
nutrition assistance program, the
Medicaid program, and the special
supplemental nutrition program;
``(III) providing training or
technical assistance to local agencies;
``(IV) sharing information among
State administrators of the
supplemental nutrition assistance
program, the Medicaid program, and the
special supplemental nutrition program;
``(V) establishing more robust
referrals; and
``(VI) conducting targeted outreach
to potential recipients of benefits
under the special supplemental
nutrition program.
``(iii) Report.--Not later than December
31, 2024, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry and Finance of the Senate and the
Committees on Agriculture, Education and Labor,
and Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives a report that describes the
results of the use of grant funds under this
subparagraph.
``(iv) Funding.--Of the funds authorized to
be appropriated under subsection (g)(1)(A) for
fiscal year 2021, the Secretary shall use
$15,000,000 to carry out this subparagraph, to
remain available until expended, of which not
more than 10 percent shall be used for
administrative costs.
``(v) Technical assistance.--The Secretary
shall provide, on request, technical assistance
to a State or State agency that seeks to apply
for a grant described in clause (i).
``(4) Technical and other assistance.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall provide
technical or training assistance to a State or State
agency, as applicable, receiving a grant under
paragraph (3)(B), and other States, as appropriate, to
increase any percentage described in paragraph
(2)(B)(iii).
``(B) Other assistance.--The Secretary may--
``(i) disseminate to States and relevant
State agencies the best practices described in
paragraph (2)(D);
``(ii) assess the effectiveness of the
efforts of the State or State agency to
increase the percentage described in
subparagraph (A);
``(iii) assist State agencies in developing
a cross-enrollment plan described in paragraph
(3)(A); and
``(iv) conduct any other activity to
facilitate certification under the special
supplemental nutrition program of eligible
women and children that receive benefits under
the supplemental nutrition assistance program
or Medicaid benefits, as determined by the
Secretary.
``(C) Funding.--Of the funds authorized to be
appropriated under subsection (g)(1)(A), the Secretary
shall use $2,000,000 to carry out this paragraph, to
remain available until expended.
``(5) Referrals of eligible women and children.--
``(A) In general.--Each State that administers the
supplemental nutrition assistance program or Medicaid
program shall--
``(i) identify individuals who--
``(I)(aa) apply or reapply for
benefits under the supplemental
nutrition assistance program or
Medicaid benefits, as applicable; and
``(bb) are certified to receive
benefits under the special supplemental
nutrition program at the time of
application or reapplication; and
``(II)(aa) apply or reapply for
benefits under the supplemental
nutrition assistance program or
Medicaid benefits, as applicable; and
``(bb) are not certified to receive
benefits under the special supplemental
nutrition program at the time of
application or reapplication under
subparagraph (A); and
``(ii) develop a policy to refer to the
special supplemental nutrition program all
eligible women and children identified under
clause (i)(II).
``(B) Report.--Not later than December 31, 2021,
and each year thereafter, each State described in
subparagraph (A) shall report to the Secretary--
``(i) the number of individuals identified
under subclauses (I) and (II) of subparagraph
(A)(i); and
``(ii) the number and type of referrals
made to the special supplemental nutrition
program under a policy developed under
subparagraph (A)(ii).
``(6) Study on the importance of meeting the nutritional
needs of pregnant women and young children.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than December 31,
2021, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and
the Committees on Agriculture and Education and Labor
of the House of Representatives a report that
describes--
``(i) the importance of adequate and sound
nutrition during pregnancy, the postpartum
period, and early childhood to birth outcomes,
child development, ongoing health, and economic
stability;
``(ii) the manner in which the special
supplemental nutrition program works in
combination with the supplemental nutrition
assistance program and the Medicaid program to
support adequate and sound nutrition for
eligible women and children that receive
benefits under those programs;
``(iii) research findings on the short- and
long-term outcomes associated with receiving
benefits under the programs described in clause
(ii) during pregnancy and early childhood
years; and
``(iv) recommendations on how the
supplemental nutrition assistance program, the
Medicaid program, and the special supplemental
nutrition program can more effectively ensure
that recipients of benefits under the
supplemental nutrition assistance program or
Medicaid benefits that are also eligible for
benefits under the special supplemental
nutrition program can be certified more
expeditiously during the critical developmental
periods of pregnancy and early childhood.
``(B) Funding.--Of the funds authorized to be
appropriated under subsection (g)(1)(A) for fiscal year
2021, the Secretary shall use $2,000,000 to carry out
this paragraph, to remain available until expended.
``(7) Data from states.--
``(A) In general.--Each State shall provide to the
Secretary any data necessary to conduct the analyses
for each report and study required under this
subsection.
``(B) Confidentiality.--All data provided to the
Secretary under subparagraph (A) shall be--
``(i) used only to enroll individuals in
the special supplemental nutrition program; and
``(ii) subject to the confidentiality
provisions described in section 246.26(d) of
title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or
successor regulations).
``(C) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall
provide, on request, technical or training assistance
to a State relating to data governance of information
required to be provided to the Secretary under
subparagraph (A).''.
(b) Food and Nutrition Act.--Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(y) State Efforts To Enhance Cross-Enrollment To Improve the
Nutritional Status of Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Young
Children.--A State agency shall--
``(1)(A) identify women and children applying or reapplying
for benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance
program under this Act who are certified to receive benefits
under the special supplemental nutrition program for women,
infants, and children established by section 17 of the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786);
``(B) develop a policy to refer to the special supplemental
nutrition program described in subparagraph (A) women and
children applying or reapplying for benefits under the
supplemental nutrition assistance program under this Act who
are eligible but not certified to receive benefits under that
special supplemental nutrition program; and
``(C) not later than December 31, 2021, and each year
thereafter, report to the Secretary the number and type of
referrals made under the policy developed under subparagraph
(B);
``(2) coordinate with a State agency that administers the
special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and
children established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786) to obtain cross-enrollment grants
under subsection (r)(3)(B) of that section; and
``(3) provide to the Secretary the data necessary to
conduct the analyses for each report and study required under
subsection (r) of section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966
(42 U.S.C. 1786).''.
(c) Social Security Act.--Section 1902(a)(11)(C) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(11)(C)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``title'' and all that follows through
``with'' and inserting ``title with''; and
(2) by inserting after ``1966'' the following: ``,
including--
``(i) providing information and education
on pediatric vaccinations and the delivery of
immunization services;
``(ii)(I) identifying women and children
applying or reapplying for benefits under this
title who are certified to receive benefits
under the special supplemental nutrition
program for women, infants, and children
established by section 17 of the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786);
``(II) developing a policy to refer to the
special supplemental nutrition program
described in subclause (I) women and children
applying or reapplying for benefits under this
title who are eligible but not certified to
receive benefits under that special
supplemental nutrition program; and
``(III) not later than December 31, 2021,
and each year thereafter, reporting to the
Secretary the number and type of referrals made
under the policy developed under subclause
(II);
``(iii) obtaining cross-enrollment grants
under subsection (r)(3)(B) of section 17 of
that Act; and
``(iv) providing to the Secretary of
Agriculture the data necessary to conduct the
analyses for each report and study required
under subsection (r) of that section''.
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