,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fchd ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,march #bd1 #bjbj,ms4 ,velzquez introduced the following bill2 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 emergency4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,community ,meals ,fund4 #b4 ,definitions 7#a7 ,vulnerable population ,the term vulnerable population means any person who is a member of the target population1 is a low income individual1 or receives a means-tested benefit as defined under this ,act4 7#b7 ,grab-and-go meal ,the term grab-and-go meals refers to pre-packaged1 ready to eat food that has been prepared and cooked no greater than #h hours prior to being sealed or enclosed in a container4 7#c7 ,target population ,the term target population includes an individual who 7or family that7-- 7,a7 earns an income below #bjj percent of the ,federal poverty line2 7,b7 suffers from food insecurity2 7,c7 is homeless2 7,d7 receives 7or recently received7 assistance under a ,state program funded under part ,a of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 et seq471 relating to temporary assistance to needy families2 or 7,e7 is eligible for benefits under any nutrition assistance or anti-poverty program4 7#d7 ,community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group ,the term community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group means an anti-hunger organization1 food bank1 food pantry1 soup kitchen1 food rescue group1 or community food security organization that is described in section #eja7;c77#c7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf and exempt from tax under section #eja7;a7 of such ,code4 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7#f7 ,low-income individual ,the term low-income individual means1 with respect to any calendar year1 any individual who lives in a household that has a gross income that does not exceed #cjj percent of the poverty line1 as defined in section #fgc7b7 of the ,community ,services ,block ,grant ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #iijb7b774 7#g7 ,homeless ,the term homeless has the meaning given such term in subtitle ,b of title ,,vii of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,act and the ,housing and ,urban ,development 7,,hud7 definition in section #ajc of subtitle ,i of the ,mc,kinney-,vento ,act4 7#h7 ,crisis housing ,the term crisis housing means a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements 7including hotels and motels paid for by ,federal1 ,state1 or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations1 congregate shelters1 and transitional housing74 7#i7 ,means-tested benefit ,the term means-tested benefit means a mandatory spending program of the ,federal ,government for which1 as determined by the ,secretary1 eligibility for the program's benefits1 or the amount of such benefits1 is determined on the basis of income or resources of the individual or family seeking the benefit4 7#aj7 ,dependent ,the term dependent has the meaning given such term in section #aeb of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf1 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 ,states4 7#aa7 ,disaster declaration ,the term disaster declaration means the instance a ,governor requests a major disaster declaration under the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eaba et seq474 7#ab7 ,temporary community need ,the term temporary community need means prepared meals during the time period under which a disaster declaration is provided4 ,such community need shall terminate #cj days after the termination of such declaration4 7#ac7 ,pandemic ,the term pandemic means a communicable disease for which the ,federal ,government has issued a travel alert or travel warning4 #c4 ,community meals fund 7a7 ,application ,to be eligible to receive a grant to address temporary community needs under this section1 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 7b74 ,the application shall be submitted in such form1 at such time1 and containing such other information as the ,secretary may require4 7b7 ,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 children1 families1 and vulnerable populations in a pandemic by-- 7#a7 contracting with small and mid-sized business restaurants or small and mid-sized food contractors that are small business concerns as defined in section #c of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb7 for-- 7,a7 preparing1 cooking1 and storing grab-and-go meals2 7,b7 serving meals to vulnerable populations or make them available for pick up1 or distributed in high poverty areas designated by ,state and local agencies2 7,c7 bolstering food security for children1 dependents1 families1 and the elderly in rural and hard to reach communities2 7,d7 bolstering food security for dependents1 target populations1 and families in crisis housing2 and 7,e7 improving the nutrition of vulnerable populations4 7c7 ,criteria ,in evaluating an application of a community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group to receive a grant1 the ,secretary shall consider criteria as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7d7 ,grant administration 7#a7 ,amount ,a grant awarded under this section may not exceed #ejj1jjj4 7#b7 ,renewals 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may renew a grant awarded under this section with respect to an eligible entity if the entity-- 7i7 submits to the ,secretary an application for renewal at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require2 and 7ii7 demonstrates in such application that-- 7,i7 grant1 contract1 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 section2 and 7,,ii7 the entity has made progress in achieving the objectives of the initial application approved for the entity under this section4 7,b7 ,duration ,a grant shall be eligible for renewal so long as a disaster declaration is active on the date of the renewal application4 7e7 ,supplement1 not supplant1 requirement ,a grant1 contract1 or cooperative agreement made under this ,act shall be expended to supplement1 and not supplant1 the expenditures of the eligible entity involved and the value of in-kind contributions4 #d4 ,authorization of appropriations 7a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #bj1jjj1jjj during the #a-year period beginning on ,may #a1 #bjbj4 7b7 ,availability ,funds authorized to be appropriated under subsection 7a7 shall remain available until expended4 #e4 ,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 funds4 #f4 ,reports to ,congress 7a7 ,grantee report to ,congress ,not later than #ij days after the end of the fiscal year for which a grantee receives a grant under this ,act1 such grantee shall submit to the ,secretary a report that contains an evaluation of the results of the activities1 including financial expenditures1 made during such fiscal year to carry out the program for which such grant is received4 7b7 ,annual reports to congress ,not later than ,january #a following the end of fiscal year for which funds are appropriated to carry out this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report describing the progress of the programs carried out with grants made for such fiscal year4