,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cfig ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ab1 #bjbj,mr4 ,murphy 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,mr4 ,warner1 and ,mr4 ,booker7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to modify the ,restaurant ,meals ,program under the supplemental nutrition assistance program in response to ,,covid-#ai1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,,snap ,,covid-#ai ,anti-,hunger ,restaurant ,relief for ,you ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,restaurant meals program under the supplemental nutrition assistance program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered period ,the term covered period means the period beginning on the first day of the first month that begins after the date of enactment of this ,act and ending on the last day of the month that follows the month in which the public health emergency declared by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services under section #cai of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7 on ,january #ca1 #bjbj1 with respect to ,,covid-#ai1 is lifted4 7#b7 ,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#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7b7 ,definition of food ,section #c7k7 of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjab7k77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking clauses 7#c71 7#d71 7#e71 7#g71 7#h71 and 7#i7 of this subsection and inserting paragraphs 7#c71 7#d71 7#e71 and 7#g7 through 7#aj72 7#b7 in paragraph 7#h71 by striking and at the end2 and 7#c7 in paragraph 7#i71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 1 and 7#aj7 in the case of households residing in an area for which a major disaster has been declared by the ,president under section #dja of the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford ,disaster ,relief and ,emergency ,assistance ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #eagj71 regardless of whether individual assistance has been authorized under such major disaster declaration1 or a public health emergency has been declared by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services under section #cai of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d71 meals prepared for and served by a public or private nonprofit establishment 7approved by an appropriate ,state or local agency7 that feeds such households and by private establishments that contract with the appropriate agency of the ,state to offer meals for such households at concessional prices subject to section #i7;h744 7c7 ,temporary streamlining of ,state participation 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 during the covered period1 the ,secretary shall waive the requirements under section #aa7;e77#be7 of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjbj7;e77#be77 for a ,state plan of operation required under subsection 7d7 of that section4 7#b7 ,covered period ,the ,secretary may extend the covered period for the purpose of carrying out paragraph 7#a7 if the ,secretary determines that such action is necessary to prevent hunger in areas impacted by the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai74 7d7 ,authorization of new retailers 7#a7 ,in general ,during the covered period1 for the sole purpose of expanding the number and capacity of retail food establishments1 including restaurants1 authorized to accept and redeem program benefits in order to adequately serve households that are eligible to receive program benefits1 the ,secretary may waive any requirements under section #i of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjah74 7#b7 ,no fees ,nothing in this subsection permits any retail food establishment1 including a restaurant1 authorized to accept and redeem program benefits to charge fees for the redemption of those benefits1 including fees described in section #g7;h77#ac7 of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaf7;h77#ac774 7e7 ,contracts with private establishments ,in the case of a contract that a ,state or the ,federal ,government enters into with a private establishment to offer meals at concessional prices under the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq47 that is effective on the day before the public health emergency described in subsection 7a77#a7 is lifted1 if the ,secretary determines1 on or after the date on which the public health emergency described in subsection 7a77#a7 is lifted1 that the participation of the private establishment is not necessary to meet a documented need in accordance with section #aa7;e77#be7 of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjbj7;e77#be771 the ,secretary may-- 7#a7 allow the operation of the private establishment to continue without that determination of need for not more than #ahj days following the date of that determination by the ,secretary2 or 7#b7 terminate the contract and provide justification for the termination to the ,state in which the private establishment is located4 7f7 ,report to ,congress ,not later than #ahj days after the public health emergency described in subsection 7a77#a7 is lifted1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives a report that includes-- 7#a7 a description of the effectiveness of this ,act in-- 7,a7 increasing access to concessional meals during the public health emergency2 and 7,b7 preventing hunger and improving health and safety among program recipients described in paragraphs 7#c71 7#d71 and 7#i7 of section #c7k7 of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjab7k772 and 7#b7 recommendations for additional statutory authority needed by the ,secretary-- 7,a7 to prevent hunger among program recipients during any public health emergency or major disaster2 and 7,b7 to improve health and safety among program recipients during ongoing social distancing policies relating to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai74