,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #badc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ag1 #bjai,ms4 ,warren 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,markey1 and ,ms4 ,harris7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh to expand the eligibility of students to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,college ,student ,hunger ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,eligibility of students to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program 7a7 ,definition of household ,section #c7m7 of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjab7m77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#d71 by inserting 1 except with respect to the individuals described in paragraph 7#e77;,f71 before constitute2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#e71 by adding at the end the following3 7,f7 ,students that are enrolled in and are residents of an institution of higher education 7as defined in section #ajb of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb77 and are eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program under paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#aa7 of section #f7;e74 4 7b7 ,eligibility of students ,section #f7;e7 of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjae7;e77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking #bj and inserting #aj2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#g71 by striking or at the end2 7#c7 in paragraph 7#h71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7#d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#i7 is eligible for a ,federal ,pell ,grant under section #dja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a72 7#aj7 has an expected family contribution equal to zero1 as determined by the procedures established in part ,f of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgkk et seq472 or 7#aa7 is independent 7as the term is defined under subparagraph 7,b71 7,c71 7,d71 7,g71 or 7,h7 of section #dhj7;d77#a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgvv7d77#a7774 4 #c4 ,eligibility notification for students ,not later than #a year after the effective date under section #g1 the ,secretary of ,education1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 shall-- 7#a7 notify each student who completes the ,free ,application for ,federal ,student ,aid and is eligible for a ,federal ,pell ,grant under section #dja of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajgj;a7 or has an expected family contribution equal to zero1 as determined by the procedures established in part ,f of title ,,iv of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajhgkk et seq471 that the student may be eligible for the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq472 and 7#b7 direct each student notified under paragraph 7#a7 to the appropriate ,state resource to apply for benefits under that program4 #d4 ,communication of information on student eligibility for the supplemental nutrition assistance program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,college student ,the term college student means a student enrolled in an institution of higher education4 7#b7 ,inspector ,general ,the term ,inspector ,general means the ,inspector ,general of the ,department of ,agriculture4 7#c7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #ajb of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb74 7#d7 ,program ,the term program means the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq474 7#e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7b7 ,audit 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the effective date under section #g1 the ,inspector ,general shall conduct an audit of the operations of the ,food and ,nutrition ,service to examine the procedures and outreach practices used by the ,food and ,nutrition ,service to provide to ,state agencies information about the eligibility of students at institutions of higher education for participation in the program4 7#b7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #ij days after completing the audit under paragraph 7#a71 the ,inspector ,general shall submit to ,congress a report describing the results of the audit4 7c7 ,strategies report ,not later than #ij days after the ,inspector ,general submits to ,congress a report under subsection 7b77#b71 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report that describes the strategy to be used by the ,food and ,nutrition ,service-- 7#a7 to increase the awareness of ,state agencies and institutions of higher education about-- 7,a7 college student hunger2 7,b7 the eligibility of college students for the program2 and 7,c7 the procedures and resources available to college students who are participating in the program to access benefits under the program2 7#b7 to identify existing or potential barriers and mitigation strategies with respect to those barriers2 and 7#c7 to update the strategic communications plan under subsection 7d74 7d7 ,updated ,state ,outreach ,plan ,guidance ,not later than #ij days after the ,inspector ,general submits to ,congress a report under subsection 7b77#b71 the ,secretary shall publish an updated ,state ,outreach ,plan ,guidance that-- 7#a7 describes existing data on college student hunger2 7#b7 describes the manner in which college students can access the supplemental nutrition assistance program2 7#c7 recommends outreach activities to address college student hunger and encourages ,states to conduct those and other outreach activities2 7#d7 provides a template for a ,state to submit information to the ,secretary describing the outreach activities being carried out by the ,state to address college student hunger2 and 7#e7 contains updated guidance based on the results of the audit conducted under subsection 7b77#a7 and the contents of the report submitted under subsection 7c74 #e4 ,demonstration pilot program ,the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #ca4 ,college student hunger pilot program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,college student ,the term college student means a student enrolled in an institution of higher education4 7#b7 ,institution of higher education ,the term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section #ajb of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajjb74 7#c7 ,pilot program ,the term pilot program means the pilot program established under subsection 7b74 7b7 ,pilot program ,the ,secretary1 in collaboration with the ,secretary of ,education1 shall establish a pilot program under which the ,secretary shall carry out demonstration projects in accordance with subsection 7c7-- 7#a7 to decrease student hunger at institutions of higher education2 and 7#b7 to reduce barriers to college students fully utilizing supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits at institutions of higher education4 7c7 ,demonstration projects ,to carry out the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall carry out demonstration projects that test the following new supplemental nutrition assistance program delivery methods3 7#a7 ,allowing a college student receiving supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits to use those benefits or the cash value of those benefits-- 7,a7 to purchase prepared foods from a campus dining hall1 on-campus store1 or other on-campus merchant or provider that typically sells prepared meals and is affiliated with the institution of higher education at which the student is enrolled2 and 7,b7 to pay the institution of higher education the cost of an on-campus college meal plan1 in whole or in part4 7#b7 ,allowing a college student to use an ,,ebt card or a campus-specific card at any of the locations described in paragraph 7#a77;,a74 7d7 ,project limit 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall carry out not more than #aj demonstration projects under the pilot program simultaneously4 7#b7 ,institutions ,the ,secretary shall carry out not more than #a demonstration project under the pilot program at any single institution of higher education4 7e7 ,project administration ,the ,secretary shall establish criteria and parameters for selecting1 operating1 monitoring1 and terminating each demonstration project under the pilot program4 7f7 ,project termination ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,secretary shall ensure that the termination of a demonstration project under the pilot program shall not cause sudden adverse changes or the elimination of benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program for students participating in the demonstration project4 7g7 ,program termination ,the pilot program shall terminate on the date that is #aj years after the date on which the pilot program is established4 7h7 ,evaluation ,for the duration of the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall1 in collaboration with the ,under ,secretary for ,research1 ,education1 and ,economics and the ,director of the ,institute of ,education ,sciences1 conduct an annual evaluation of each demonstration project carried out under the pilot program during the year covered by the evaluation1 including an analysis of the extent to which the project is meeting the desired outcomes4 7i7 ,report ,for the duration of the pilot program1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry and ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate and the ,committees on ,agriculture and ,education and ,labor of the ,house of ,representatives an annual report that includes-- 7#a7 a description of each demonstration project carried out under the pilot program during the year covered by the report2 7#b7 the evaluation conducted under subsection 7h72 and 7#c7 recommendations for legislation to improve the supplemental nutrition assistance program to better serve college students4 7j7 ,waiver and modification authority 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary may1 as may be necessary solely to carry out the pilot program-- 7,a7 waive any provision under this ,act1 including-- 7i7 the requirement relating to local sales tax under section #d7;a72 7ii7 requirements relating to the issuance and use of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits under section #g2 and 7iii7 requirements for approval of retail food stores under section #i2 and 7,b7 modify the definitions under this ,act for the purposes of the pilot program1 including the definition of-- 7i7 the term food under section #c7k72 7ii7 the term household under section #c7m72 and 7iii7 the term retail food store under section #c7o74 7#b7 ,limitation ,the ,secretary may not waive a provision or modify a definition under paragraph 7#a7 if the waiver or modification will-- 7,a7 cause increased difficulty for any household to apply for or access supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits2 or 7,b7 reduce the value of those benefits for any household4 7k7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this section4 4 #f4 ,effective date ,this ,act and the amendments made by this ,act shall take effect on the first day of the fiscal year that begins after the date of enactment of this ,act4