,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cgai  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #ac1      
#bjbj,ms4 ,harris 7for herself1 ,mrs4   
,gillibrand1 and ,mr4 ,sanders7         
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   
require that supplemental nutrition     
assistance program benefits be          
calculated using the value of the       
low-cost food plan1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,closing the ,meal  
,gap ,act of #bjbj4  #b4 ,calculation of
 program benefits using low-cost food   
plan  7a7 ,definition of low-,cost food 
plan ,section #c of the ,food and       
,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#bjab7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking    
subsection 7u72  7#b7 by redesignating  
subsections 7n7 through 7t7 as          
subsections 7o7 through 7u71            

respectively2 and  7#c7 by inserting    
after subsection 7m7 the following3  7n7
 ,low-,cost food plan  7#a7 ,in general 
,the term low-cost food plan means the  
diet1 determined in accordance with the 
calculations of the ,secretary1 required
 to feed a #d-person family that        
consists of-- 7,a7 a man and a woman who
 are each between #ai and #ej years of  
age2  7,b7 a child who is between #f and
 #h years of age2 and  7,c7 a child who 
is between #i and #aa years of age4     
7#b7 ,cost ,for purposes of paragraph   
7#a71 the cost of the diet described in 
that paragraph shall be the basis for   
uniform allotments for all households   
regardless of the actual composition of 
the household1 except that the          
,secretary shall-- 7,a7 make            
household-size adjustments 7based on the
 unrounded cost of that diet7 taking    
into account economies of scale2  7,b7  
make cost adjustments in the low-cost   
food plan for the ,state of ,hawaii and 
the urban and rural parts of the ,state 

of ,alaska to reflect the cost of food  
in ,hawaii and urban and rural ,alaska1 
respectively2  7,c7 make cost           
adjustments in the separate low-cost    
food plans for ,guam1 the ,commonwealth 
of ,puerto ,rico1 ,american ,samoa1 the 
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands1 and the ,united ,states       
,virgin ,islands1 to reflect the cost of
 food in those territories1 but not to  
exceed the cost of food in the #ej      
,states and the ,district of ,columbia2 
and  7,d7 on ,october #a1 #bjbj1 and    
each ,october #a thereafter1 adjust the 
cost of the diet to reflect the cost of 
the diet in the immediately preceding   
,june1 and round the result to the      
nearest lower-dollar increment for each 
household size4  4  7b7 ,value of       
allotment ,section #h7;a7 of the ,food  
and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g        
,u4,s4,c4 #bjag7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7  
by striking thrifty food plan each place
 it appears and inserting low-cost food 
plan2 and  7#b7 in the proviso1 by      

striking #h percent and inserting #aj   
percent4  7c7 ,quality control system   
,section #af7;c77#a77;,a77ii7 of the    
,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g  
,u4,s4,c4 #bjbe7;c77#a77;,a77ii77 is    
amended-- 7#a7 in subclause 7,i71 by    
striking #bjad1 at an amount not greater
 than #cg and inserting #bjai1 at an    
amount equal to not more than #ej2 and  
7#b7 in subclause 7,,ii7-- 7,a7 by      
striking thrifty food plan is adjusted  
under section #c7u77#d7 and inserting   
low-cost food plan is adjusted under    
section #c7n77#b77;,d72 and  7,b7 by    
striking #bjac and inserting #bjai4  7d7
 ,conforming amendments  7#a7 ,section  
#aj of the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of 
#bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjai7 is amended1  
in the first sentence1 by striking      
#c7o77#d7 and inserting #c7p77#d74  7#b7
 ,section #aa of the ,food and          
,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#bjbj7 is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection  
7a77#b71 by striking #c7s77#a7 and      
inserting #c7t77#a72  7,b7 in subsection

 7d7-- 7i7 by striking #c7s77#a7 each   
place it appears and inserting          
#c7t77#a72  7ii7 by striking #c7s77#b7  
each place it appears and inserting     
#c7t77#b72 and  7iii7 by striking ,act  
7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #dej7 and inserting and  
,education ,assistance ,act 7#be        
,u4,s4,c4 #ceja et seq472 and  7,c7 in  
subsection 7e77#ag71 by striking        
#c7s77#a7 and inserting #c7t77#a74  7#c7
 ,section #ai7;a77#b77;,a77ii7 of the   
,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g  
,u4,s4,c4 #bjbh7;a77#b77;,a77ii77 is    
amended by striking thrifty food plan   
has been adjusted under section         
#c7u77#d7 and inserting low-cost food   
plan has been adjusted under section    
#c7n77#b77;,d74  7#d7 ,section          
#bg7;a77#b7 of the ,food and ,nutrition 
,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4             
#bjcf7;a77#b77 is amended1 in           
subparagraphs 7,c7 and 7,e71 by striking
 thrifty food plan has been adjusted    
under section #c7u77#d7 each place it   
appears and inserting low-cost food plan

 has been adjusted under section        
#c7n77#b77;,d74  7#e7 ,section          
#djh7;a77#ab77;,b77i7 of the ,social    
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#fjh7;a77#ab77;,b77i77 is amended by    
striking 7r7 each place it appears4  #c4
 ,deductions from income  7a7 ,standard 
medical expense deduction ,section      
#e7;e77#e7 of the ,food and ,nutrition  
,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4             
#bjad7;e77#e77 is amended-- 7#a7 in the 
paragraph heading1 by striking ,excess  
medical and inserting ,medical2  7#b7 in
 subparagraph 7,a71 by striking an      
excess medical and all that follows     
through the period at the end and       
inserting a standard medical deduction  
or a medical expense deduction of actual
 costs for the allowable medical        
expenses incurred by the elderly or     
disabled member1 exclusive of special   
diets42  7#c7 in subparagraph 7,b77i71  
by striking excess2 and  7#d7 by adding 
at the end the following3  7,d7         
,standard medical expense deduction     

amount  7i7 ,in general ,except as      
provided in clause 7ii71 the standard   
medical expense deduction shall be--    
7,i7 for fiscal year #bjbj1 #adj2 and   
7,,ii7 for each subsequent fiscal year1 
equal to the applicable amount for the  
immediately preceding fiscal year as    
adjusted to reflect changes for the     
#ab-month period ending the preceding   
,june #cj in the ,consumer ,price ,index
 for ,all ,urban ,consumers3 ,medical   
,care published by the ,bureau of ,labor
 ,statistics of the ,department of      
,labor4  7ii7 ,exception ,for any fiscal
 year1 a ,state agency may establish a  
greater standard medical expense        
deduction than described in clause 7i7  
if the greater deduction satisfies cost 
neutrality standards established by the 
,secretary for that fiscal year4  4  7b7
 ,elimination of cap of excess shelter  
expenses  7#a7 ,in general ,section     
#e7;e77#f7 of the ,food and ,nutrition  
,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4             
#bjad7;e77#f77 is amended-- 7,a7 by     

striking subparagraph 7,b72 and  7,b7 by
 redesignating subparagraphs 7,c7 and   
7,d7 as subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c71    
respectively4  7#b7 ,conforming         
amendment ,section #bfje7;f77#b77;,a7 of
 the ,low-,income ,home ,energy         
,assistance ,act of #aiha 7#db ,u4,s4,c4
 #hfbd7;f77#b77;,a77 is amended by      
striking #e7;e77#f77;,c77iv77,i7 of that
 ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4                     
#bjad7;e77#f77;,c77iv77,i77 and         
inserting #e7;e77#f77;,b77iv77,i7 of    
that ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4                 
#bjad7;e77#f77;,b77iv77,i774  #d4       
,elimination of time limit  7a7 ,in     
general ,section #f of the ,food and    
,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#bjae7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking    
subsection 7o72 and  7#b7 by            
redesignating subsections 7p7 through   
7s7 as subsections 7o7 through 7r71     
respectively4  7b7 ,additional          
allocations for ,states that ensure     
availability of work opportunities      
,section #af7;h7 of the ,food and       

,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#bjbe7;h77 is amended-- 7#a7 in         
paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph   
7,c77iv77,i7-- 7i7 by striking          
7,f77viii7 each place it appears and    
inserting 7,e77viii72  7ii7 by striking 
7,f77vii77,i7 each place it appears and 
inserting 7,e77vii77,i72  7iii7 in item 
7bb77,,bb71 by striking 7,f77vii77,,ii7 
and inserting 7,e77vii77,,ii72 and  7iv7
 in item 7cc71 by striking 7,f77vii7 and
 inserting 7,e77vii72  7,b7 by striking 
subparagraph 7,e72 and  7,c7 by         
redesignating subparagraph 7,f7 as      
subparagraph 7,e72  7#b7 in paragraphs  
7#c7 and 7#d71 by striking 7#a77;,f7    
each place it appears and inserting     
7#a77;,e72 and  7#c7 in paragraph       
7#e77;,c7-- 7,a7 in clause 7ii71 by     
adding and at the end2  7,b7 in clause  
7iii71 by striking 2 and and inserting a
 period2 and  7,c7 by striking clause   
7iv74  7c7 ,conforming amendments  7#a7 
,section #e of the ,food and ,nutrition 
,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjad7 is   

amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a71 in the
 second sentence1 by striking 7r7 and   
inserting 7q72 and  7,b7 in subsection  
7g77#c71 in the first sentence1 by      
striking #af7;h77#a77;,f7 and inserting 
#af7;h77#a77;,e74  7#b7 ,section        
#f7;d77#d7 of the ,food and ,nutrition  
,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4             
#bjae7;d77#d77 is amended-- 7,a7 in     
subparagraph 7,b77ii77,i77bb77,,dd71 by 
striking or subsection 7o72 and  7,b7 in
 subparagraph 7,n71 by striking or      
subsection 7o7 each place it appears4   
7#c7 ,section #g7;i77#a7 of the ,food   
and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g        
,u4,s4,c4 #bjaf7;i77#a77 is amended by  
striking section #f7o77#b7 of this ,act 
or4  7#d7 ,section #af7;h77#a7 of the   
,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g  
,u4,s4,c4 #bjbe7;h77 is amended-- 7,a7  
in subparagraph 7,b71 in the matter     
preceding clause 7i71 by striking that--
 and all that follows through the period
 at the end of clause 7ii7 and inserting
 that is determined and adjusted by the 

,secretary42 and  7,b7 in clause        
7ii77,,iii77ee77,,aa7 of subparagraph   
7,e7 7as redesignated by subsection     
7b77#a77;,c771 by striking 1 individuals
 subject to the requirements under      
section #f7o714  7#e7 ,section          
#ea7;d77#h77;,a77ii7 of the ,internal   
,revenue ,code of #aihf is amended--    
7,a7 in subclause 7,i71 by striking 1 or
 at the end and inserting a period2     
7,b7 in the matter preceding subclause  
7,i71 by striking family-- and all that 
follows through receiving in subclause  
7,i7 and inserting family receiving2 and
  7,c7 by striking subclause 7,,ii74    
7#f7 ,section #ajc7;a77#b7 of the       
,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity 
,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caac7 is amended-- 
7,a7 by striking subparagraph 7,d72 and 
7,b7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,e7
 through 7,k7 as subparagraphs 7,d7     
through 7,j71 respectively4  7#g7       
,section #aba7;b77#b77;,b7 of the       
,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity 
,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caea7 is amended-- 

7,a7 by striking clause 7iv72 and  7,b7 
by redesignating clauses 7v7 through    
7vii7 as clauses 7iv7 through 7vi71     
respectively4  #e4 ,participation of    
,puerto ,rico1 ,american ,samoa1 and the
 ,northern ,mariana ,islands in         
supplemental nutrition assistance       
program  7a7 ,definition of ,state      
,subsection 7s7 of section #c of the    
,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g  
,u4,s4,c4 #bjab7 7as redesignated by    
section #b7;a77#b77 is amended by       
inserting the ,commonwealth of ,puerto  
,rico1 ,american ,samoa1 the            
,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana 
,islands1 after ,guam14  7b7 ,eligible  
households ,section #e of the ,food and 
,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#bjad7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection  
7c71 in the undesignated matter at the  
end1 by striking ,states or ,guam and   
inserting ,states1 ,guam1 the           
,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1         
,american ,samoa1 or the ,commonwealth  
of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands2 and 

7#b7 by adding at the end the following3
  7o7 ,puerto ,rico1 ,american ,samoa1  
and the ,northern ,mariana ,islands     
,notwithstanding any other provision of 
this ,act1 including the requirements   
under this section1 the ,commonwealth of
 ,puerto ,rico1 ,american ,samoa1 and   
the ,commonwealth of the ,northern      
,mariana ,islands shall each establish  
their own standards of eligibility for  
participation by households in the      
supplemental nutrition assistance       
program4  4  7c7 ,effective date  7#a7  
,in general ,the amendments made by     
subsections 7a7 and 7b7 shall be        
effective with respect to the           
,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1         
,american ,samoa1 and the ,commonwealth 
of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 as  
applicable1 on the date described in    
paragraph 7#b7 if the ,secretary of     
,agriculture submits to ,congress a     
certification under subsection          
7f77#b77;,b7 of section #ai of the ,food
 and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g       

,u4,s4,c4 #bjbh74  7#b7 ,date described 
,the date referred to in paragraph 7#a7 
is1 with respect to the ,commonwealth of
 ,puerto ,rico1 ,american ,samoa1 and   
the ,commonwealth of the ,northern      
,mariana ,islands1 the date established 
by the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1  
,american ,samoa1 or the ,commonwealth  
of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1     
respectively1 in the applicable plan of 
operation submitted to the ,secretary of
 ,agriculture under subsection          
7f77#a77;,a7 of section #ai of the ,food
 and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g       
,u4,s4,c4 #bjbh74  #f4 ,transition of   
,puerto ,rico1 ,american ,samoa1 and the
 ,northern ,mariana ,islands to         
supplemental nutrition assistance       
program ,section #ai of the ,food and   
,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#bjbh7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection  
7a77#a7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by 
striking and at the end2  7,b7 in       
subparagraph 7,b71 by striking the      
period at the end and inserting 2 and2  

and  7,c7 by adding at the end the      
following3  7,c7 the ,commonwealth of   
the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4  2 and 
7#b7 by adding at the end the following3
  7f7 ,transition of ,puerto ,rico1     
,american ,samoa1 and the ,northern     
,mariana ,islands to supplemental       
nutrition assistance program  7#a7      
,request for participation ,a           
governmental entity may submit to the   
,secretary a request to participate in  
the supplemental nutrition assistance   
program1 which shall include a plan of  
operation described in section #aa7;d71 
which shall include the date on which   
the governmental entity intends to begin
 participation in the program4  7#b7    
,certification by ,secretary  7,a7 ,in  
general ,the ,secretary shall certify a 
governmental entity that submits a      
request under paragraph 7#a7 as         
qualified to participate in the         
supplemental nutrition assistance       
program if the ,secretary-- 7i7 approves
 the plan of operation submitted with   

the request1 in accordance with this    
subsection2 and  7ii7 approves the      
applications described in paragraph 7#d7
 in accordance with that paragraph4     
7,b7 ,submission of certification to    
,congress ,the ,secretary shall submit  
each certification under subparagraph   
7,a7 to ,congress4  7#c7 ,determination 
of plan of operation  7,a7 ,approval    
,the ,secretary shall approve a plan of 
operation submitted with a request under
 paragraph 7#a7 if the plan satisfies   
the requirements under this ,act for a  
plan of operation4  7,b7 ,disapproval   
,if the ,secretary does not approve a   
plan of operation submitted with a      
request under paragraph 7#a71 the       
,secretary shall provide to the         
governmental entity a statement that    
describes each requirement under this   
,act that is not satisfied by the plan4 
7#d7 ,approval of retail food stores    
7,a7 ,solicitation of applications ,if  
the ,secretary approves a plan of       
operation under paragraph 7#c77;,a7 for 

a governmental entity1 the ,secretary   
shall accept applications from retail   
food stores located in that governmental
 entity to be authorized under section  
#i to participate in the supplemental   
nutrition assistance program4  7,b7     
,determination ,the ,secretary shall    
authorize a retail food store applying  
to participate in the supplemental      
nutrition assistance program under      
subparagraph 7,a7 if the application    
satisfies the requirements under this   
,act for authorization of a retail food 
store4  7#e7 ,puerto ,rico ,in the case 
of a request under paragraph 7#a7 by the
 ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1        
notwithstanding subsection 7g71 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 pursuant to this   
section4  7#f7 ,authorization of        
appropriations ,there are authorized to 
be appropriated to the ,secretary to    

carry out this subsection such sums as  
are necessary for fiscal year #bjba1 to 
remain available until expended4  7g7   
,termination of effectiveness  7#a7 ,in 
general ,subsections 7a7 through 7e7    
shall cease to be effective with respect
 to the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 
,american ,samoa1 and the ,commonwealth 
of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 as  
applicable1 on the date described in    
paragraph 7#b7 if the ,secretary submits
 to ,congress a certification under     
subsection 7f77#b77;,b7 for that        
governmental entity4  7#b7 ,date        
described ,the date referred to in      
paragraph 7#a7 is1 with respect to the  
,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1         
,american ,samoa1 and the ,commonwealth 
of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands1 the 
date established by the ,commonwealth of
 ,puerto ,rico1 ,american ,samoa1 or the
 ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana
 ,islands1 respectively1 in the         
applicable plan of operation submitted  
to the ,secretary under subsection      

7f77#a77;,a74  4