[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 677 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 677
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide for the
participation of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands in the supplemental nutrition assistance
program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 6, 2019
Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Gillibrand,
Ms. Warren, Ms. Harris, Mr. Markey, Mr. Booker, Mr. Wyden, Mr.
Menendez, and Mr. Durbin) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide for the
participation of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands in the supplemental nutrition assistance
program, 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 ``Equitable Nutrition Assistance for
the Territories Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. PARTICIPATION OF PUERTO RICO, AMERICAN SAMOA, AND THE NORTHERN
MARIANA ISLANDS IN SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--
(1) Definitions.--Section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012) is amended--
(A) in subsection (r), by inserting ``the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,'' after
``Guam,''; and
(B) in subsection (u)(3), by inserting ``the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,'' after
``Guam,''.
(2) Eligible households.--Section 5 of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by
inserting ``the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands,'' after ``Guam,'';
(B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``and Guam,''
and inserting ``Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands,''; and
(C) in subsection (e)--
(i) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands,'' after ``Hawaii,'' each place it
appears; and
(ii) in paragraph (6)(B), in the matter
preceding clause (i), by inserting ``the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands,'' after ``Guam,''.
(3) Effective date.--
(A) In general.--The amendments made by this
subsection shall be effective with respect to the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, or the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as
applicable, on the date described in subparagraph (B)
if the Secretary of Agriculture submits to Congress a
certification under subsection (f)(3) of section 19 of
the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028) (as
added by subsection (b)).
(B) Date described.--The date referred to in
subparagraph (A) is, with respect to the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands, the date established by
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, or the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
respectively, in the applicable plan of operation
submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture under
subsection (f)(1)(A) of section 19 of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028) (as added by
subsection (b)).
(b) Transition of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern
Mariana Islands to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.--Section
19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(f) Transition of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern
Mariana Islands to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.--
``(1) Submission of plan by puerto rico, american samoa,
and the northern mariana islands.--
``(A) Submission and review of plan of operation.--
If a State agency is designated by the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands (referred to in this
subsection as a `governmental entity') and submits to
the Secretary a request to participate in the
supplemental nutrition assistance program and a plan of
operation under section 11 (including a date on which
the governmental entity will begin to participate in
the supplemental nutrition assistance program), the
Secretary shall determine whether that governmental
entity and State agency satisfy the requirements that
would apply under this Act for approval of that plan if
the governmental entity were one of the several States.
``(B) Determination by secretary.--
``(i) Approval.--The Secretary shall
approve a plan of operation under subparagraph
(A) if the governmental entity and State agency
satisfy the requirements described in that
subparagraph.
``(ii) Disapproval.--If the Secretary does
not approve a plan of operation under
subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall provide
to the governmental entity a statement that
describes each requirement that is not
satisfied by the plan.
``(2) Approval of retail food stores.--If the Secretary
approves a plan of operation under paragraph (1)(B)(i), the
Secretary shall accept from retail food stores located in the
applicable governmental entity applications under section 9 for
approval to participate in the supplemental nutrition
assistance program.
``(3) Submission of certification to congress.--The
Secretary shall submit to Congress a certification that a
governmental entity qualifies to participate in the
supplemental nutrition assistance program as if the
governmental entity were a State if the Secretary--
``(A) approves the plan of operation under
paragraph (1)(B)(i); and
``(B) approves the applications under paragraph (2)
of a number of retail food stores located in the
governmental entity requesting to participate in the
supplemental nutrition assistance program that would be
sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Act if
the governmental entity were one of the several States.
``(4) Cash benefits provided in puerto rico.--As part of a
plan of operation submitted under paragraph (1)(A), the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may submit to the Secretary a
request to provide benefits under the supplemental nutrition
assistance program in the form of cash.
``(5) Family market program in puerto rico.--As part of a
plan of operation submitted under paragraph (1)(A),
notwithstanding subsection (g), the Secretary shall allow the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to continue to carry out, under the
supplemental nutrition assistance program, the Family Market
Program established under this section.
``(g) Termination of Effectiveness.--
``(1) In general.--Subsections (a) through (e) shall cease
to be effective with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, as applicable, on the date described in
paragraph (2) if the Secretary submits to Congress a
certification under subsection (f)(3).
``(2) Date described.--The date referred to in paragraph
(1) is, with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, the date established by the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, respectively, in the applicable plan of
operation submitted to the Secretary under subsection
(f)(1)(A).''.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out this section
and the amendments made by this section such sums as are necessary for
each fiscal year, to remain available until expended.
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