,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bjje ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #aj1 #bjba,mr4 ,boozman 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,mr4 ,mc,connell1 ,mr4 ,bennet1 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,mr4 ,hoeven1 ,mrs4 ,hyde-,smith1 ,mrs4 ,fischer1 ,mr4 ,moran1 ,mr4 ,blunt1 ,mr4 ,marshall1 ,mr4 ,grassley1 and ,mr4 ,thune7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act to require alternative options for summer food service program delivery4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,hunger-,free ,summer for ,kids ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,alternative options for summer food service program delivery ,section #ac of the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agfa7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a71 by adding at the end the following3 7#ac7 ,alternative options for program delivery 7,a7 ,purpose ,the purpose of this paragraph is to establish the alternative program delivery options described in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7i7 to provide meals to children that do not have readily available access to meals otherwise provided under this section2 and 7ii7 7,i7 to increase program participation1 effectiveness1 and efficiency2 7,,ii7 to improve child nutrition2 and 7,,iii7 to reduce food insecurity among children4 7,b7 ,alternative options ,the ,secretary shall establish the following #b alternative options for program delivery3 7i7 ,provision of an electronic benefit transfer card 7referred to in this paragraph as an ,,ebt card7 in accordance with subparagraph 7,c74 7ii7 ,off-site consumption in accordance with subparagraph 7,d74 7,c7 ,,ebt card 7i7 ,in general ,beginning not later than summer #bjbc1 the ,secretary shall make available an option to ,states to provide program meals under this section through the issuance of ,,ebt cards to the households of eligible children1 determined in accordance with clause 7iv71 for the benefit of those eligible children4 7ii7 ,amount 7,i7 ,in general ,subject to subclause 7,,iii71 the value of an ,,ebt card provided under this subparagraph shall be #cj per eligible child per month4 7,,ii7 ,annual limitation ,no household of an eligible child shall receive benefits under this subparagraph for more than #c months in a summer period4 7,,iii7 ,adjustment ,on ,january #a of each year1 the ,secretary shall adjust the values described in subclauses 7,i7 and 7,,ii7 by the same percentage as the adjustment made under subsection 7b77#a77;,b74 7iii7 ,use of benefits 7,i7 ,in general ,an ,,ebt card issued under this subparagraph may be used only for the purchase of food from retail stores approved for participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the ,food and ,nutrition ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa et seq474 7,,ii7 ,benefit redemption ,a retail store shall redeem ,,ebt card benefits under this subparagraph in the same manner that benefits are redeemed under the supplemental nutrition assistance program described in subclause 7,i74 7,,iii7 ,timing ,an ,,ebt card issued under this subparagraph may be used by a household for the benefit of an eligible child only when school is out of session for the summer period1 as defined by the ,secretary4 7iv7 ,eligible children ,in administering this subparagraph1 the ,secretary shall ensure that an ,,ebt card-- 7,i7 is only issued to a household for the benefit of a child in that household-- 7aa7 who lives or attends school-- 7,,aa7 in a rural area1 as determined by the ,secretary2 or 7,,bb7 outside an area in which poor economic conditions exist2 7bb7 who has been determined to be eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under this ,act and a free or reduced price breakfast under section #d of the ,child ,nutrition ,act of #aiff 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aggc72 and 7cc7 in accordance with1 with respect to the ,state in which the child resides-- 7,,aa7 a ,state agency plan approved by the ,secretary pursuant to section #aaja7;b7 of the ,families ,first ,coronavirus ,response ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjaa note2 ,public ,law #aaf-abg72 or 7,,bb7 an application process developed by the ,state2 and 7,,ii7 is not issued to a household for the benefit of a child living in an area in which a congregate open feeding site is operating1 to prevent duplication in benefits4 7,d7 ,off-site consumption 7i7 ,in general ,beginning not later than summer #bjbc1 the ,secretary shall make available an option to ,states to provide program meals under this section for off-site consumption4 7ii7 ,availability ,in administering this subparagraph1 the ,secretary shall ensure that off-site consumption is only available to a child if-- 7,i7 the child is determined to be eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under this ,act and a free or reduced price breakfast under section #d of the ,child ,nutrition ,act of #aiff 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aggc72 and 7,,ii7 not fewer than #a of the conditions described in clause 7iii7 is present4 7iii7 ,conditions ,the conditions referred to in clause 7ii77,,ii7 are the following3 7,i7 ,the child lives or attends school in a rural area1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7,,ii7 ,the child lives or attends school outside an area in which poor economic conditions exist4 7,,iii7 ,the program is available to the child at a congregate feeding site but-- 7aa7 the site is closed due to extreme weather conditions2 7bb7 violence or other public safety concerns in the area prevent the child from traveling safely to the site2 7cc7 the site is open not more than #d days a week2 or 7dd7 the site provides only #a meal per day4 7iv7 ,administration ,in administering this subparagraph1 the ,secretary shall ensure that-- 7,i7 any meal served through off-site consumption-- 7aa7 meets all applicable ,state and local health1 safety1 and sanitation standards2 and 7bb7 meets the requirements under subsection 7f77#a72 7,,ii7 each ,state gives priority to a child living in an area in which a congregate open feeding site is not reasonably accessible1 as determined by the ,secretary2 7,,iii7 the number of reimbursable meals served to each child in a single meal service does not exceed the total number of meals allowed for reimbursement under the program during a #aj-;day period2 and 7,,iv7 meals may be provided by entities that participated in a summer meals demonstration project carried out under section #gdi7;g7 of the ,agriculture1 ,rural ,development1 ,food and ,drug ,administration1 and ,related ,agencies ,appropriations ,act1 #bjaj 7,public ,law #aaa-hj2 #abc ,stat4 #bacb71 on the same terms and conditions as provided under the demonstration project4 7,e7 ,scope ,under this paragraph1 a ,state-- 7i7 may implement an alternative option described in subparagraph 7,b7 in any area described in subitem 7,,aa7 or 7,,bb7 of subparagraph 7,c77iv77,i77aa7 in the ,state2 but 7ii7 shall not simultaneously implement both alternative options described in subparagraph 7,b7 in the same area in the ,state4 7,f7 ,regulations ,not later than ,october #a1 #bjbb1 the ,secretary shall promulgate regulations1 with an opportunity for notice and comment-- 7i7 to ensure the integrity of the alternative options for program delivery described in subparagraph 7,b72 and 7ii7 to prevent duplication in benefits received under this paragraph4 2 and 7#b7 in subsection 7n7-- 7,a7 by striking and 7#f7 and inserting 7#f72 and 7,b7 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and 7#g7 the plans of the ,state for using the alternative options for program delivery described in subsection 7a77#ac71 if applicable44