,i  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #iihj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,octob] #aa1 #bjbd,ms4
 ,m5g introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,agriculture1 
& 9 addition to ! ,committee on         
,education & ! ,work=ce1 = a p]iod to be
 subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea*
 case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z 
fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee    
conc]n$  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,agriculture ,reorganization ,act (  
#aiid to e/abli% an ,(fice ( ,ko%] &    
,halal ,foods1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4   
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7    
,!re are approximately #g4e million     
,jewi% ,am]icans & #c4de million ,muslim
 ,am]icans4  7#b7 ,?irty-five p]c5t (   
,jewi% ,am]icans & #hc p]c5t ( ,muslim  
,am]icans foll[ religi\sly requir$      
diet>y re/rictions4  7#c7 ,mean+ful     
p]c5tages ( ,jewi% & ,muslim ,am]ican   
communities are food insecure & c\ld    
b5efit f ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture       
em]g5cy food programs su* z ! ,em]g5cy  

,food ,assi/ance ,program 7commonly kn[n
 & ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z ,,tefap74  
7#d7 ,/udies h %[n t p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 t foll[ religi\sly requir$ diets w =go 
food ev5 if hungry r ?an eat food t is  
=bidd5 to !m4  7#e7 ,ko%] & halal food  
options 9 ^! programs are !re=e ess5tial
 = individuals adh]+ to religi\sly      
requir$ diet>y re/rictions4  7#f7       
,e/imates sugge/ t #ej p]c5t ( ! food on
 groc]y /ore %elves 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates   
has at lea/ "o ko%] c]tification4  7#g7 
,despite ! fact t ko%] & halal products 
are readily available 9 ! comm]cial     
m>ketplace1 :ile ! ,dep>tm5t (          
,agriculture has exp&$ ko%] & halal     
options available ?r\gh ,,tefap1        
,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture fe$+ programs  
curr5tly d n provide suffici5t options  
to fully meet ! ne$s ( p 9 ! ,unit$     
,/ates ) religi\sly requir$ diet>y      
re/rictions4 ,= example1 ,,tefap        
curr5tly only requires #h c]tifi$ ko%]  
products & #a halal c]tifi$ product4    
7#h7 ,congress has 9 ! pa/1 recogniz$ ! 

ne$ to increase access to em]g5cy ko%] &
 halal food 9 ! ,nation's food programs4
  7#i7 ,?r\gh ,,tefap1 ,congress        
previ\sly s\ght to exp& access to ko%] &
 halal food ?r\gh ,dep>tm5t (           
,agriculture programs by m&at+ t !      
,secret>y %all f9alize & implem5t a plan
 to increase ! pur*ase ( ,ko%] & ,halal 
food4  7#aj7 ,nev]!less1 ! lack ( curr5t
 ko%] & halal food options prev5t ^? )  
religi\sly requir$ diets f fully        
p>ticipat+ 9 ! ,nation's food programs &
 are fundam5tally unfair & inequitable4 
7#aa7 ,z "p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,national 
,/rategy to ,c\nt] ,antisemitism1 !     
,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture is committ$ to 
"w to ensure equal access to all ,,usda 
fe$+ programs = ,,usda cu/om]s )        
religi\s diet>y ne$s4 ,?is w include    
increas+ comm]cially available ko%] &   
halal foods t are priorities = ,jewi% & 
,muslim program p>ticipants2 exp&+ !    
numb] ( ko%] or halal c]tifi$ foods 9   
,,usda's food procurem5t2 tra9+ s*ools  
on h[ to meet /ud5ts' religi\s diet>y   

ne$s = ! ,national ,s*ool ,lun* & ,s*ool
 ,breakfa/ programs2 & exp&+ outrea* &  
te*nical assi/ance = ko%] & halal meat  
processors44  #b4 ,(fice ( ko%] & halal 
foods ,! ,f$]al ,crop ,insurance ,re=m &
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture               
,reorganization ,act ( #aiid 7#g        
,u4,s4,c4 #fija note et seq47 is am5d$  
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  #caj4 ,(fice
 ( ko%] & halal foods  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t  
,n lat] ?an #f mon?s aft] ! date ( !    
enactm5t ( ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all
 e/abli% 9 ! ,dep>tm5t an ,(fice ( ,ko%]
 & ,halal ,foods 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is       
section z ! ,(fice74  7b7 ,director ,!  
,secret>y %all appo9t a ,director ( !   
,(fice :o %all-- 7#a7 be an individual )
 exp]tise 9 fe$+ programs c>ri$ out by !
 ,secret>y1 national supply logi/ics1 & 
religi\sly requir$ diets2 &  7#b7 be    
responsible = c>ry+ out ! mission &     
responsibilities ( ! ,(fice z specifi$ 9
 ?is section4  7c7 ,mission ,! mission (
 ! ,(fice %all be to provide guidance & 
exp]tise to ! ,secret>y necess>y to     

ensure t p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates )          
religi\sly requir$ diets h full1 fair1 &
 equal access to all food programs      
adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y4  7d7           
,responsibilities ,! ,(fice %all be     
responsible = engag+ 9 activities to    
c>ry out ! mission describ$ 9 subsection
 7c71 includ+-- 7#a7 advis+ on !        
co/-effective procurem5t ( ko%] & halal 
food = di/ribution ?r\gh programs       
adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y2  7#b7 assi/+   
local & regional food banks & pantries )
 ! co/-effective procurem5t ( ko%] &    
halal food2  7#c7 advis+ ! ,secret>y on 
! e/abli%m5t ( a national ko%] & halal  
em]g5cy food bank & di/ribution network2
  7#d7 work+ ) indu/ry /akehold]s to    
support ! ,dep>tm5t 9 secur+ ko%] &     
halal food across food gr\ps1 to all[   
pantries to provide balanc$ pantry bags 
align$ ) ! ,diet>y ,guidel9es =         
,am]icans e/abli%$ "u section #cja ( !  
,national ,nutrition ,monitor+ & ,relat$
 ,rese>* ,act ( #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4     
#ecda72  7#e7 advis+ ! ,secret>y on !   

ne$s ( /ud5ts ) religi\sly requir$      
diet>y re/rictions 9 ! cov]$ nutrition  
programs2  7#f7 advocat+ =1 & support+  
fund+ initiatives =1 increas$ access to 
ko%] & halal food options 9 fe$+        
programs adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y2  7#g7 
provid+ educational res\rces to         
produc]s1 food banks1 s*ools1 food      
pantries1 & o!r em]g5cy food provid]s :o
 contract ) ! ,secret>y to di/ribute    
food on ko%] & halal requirem5ts to     
assi/ su* produc]s1 food banks1 s*ools1 
food pantries1 & o!r em]g5cy food       
provid]s 9 ensur+ equal access to _!    
programs = individuals :o pres5t )      
religi\s requir$ diets2  7#h7 conduct+  
rese>* & collect+ data1 9 p>tn]%ip ) !  
,economic ,rese>* ,s]vice1 on ko%] &    
halal food 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & food     
insecurity 9 ! ,jewi% & ,muslim ,am]ican
 communities2 &  7#i7 adm9i/]+ any      
pilot1 grant1 or o!r programs adm9i/]$  
by ! ,dep>tm5t t are design$ to increase
 access to ko%] & halal food "u !       
em]g5cy food assi/ance program e/abli%$ 

"u ! ,em]g5cy ,food ,assi/ance ,act (   
#aihc 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #geja et seq474  7e7
 ,report to congress ,n lat] ?an #a ye> 
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is section1 
& annually !reaft]1 ! ,(fice %all submit
 to ,congress a report on ! activities  
to be c>ri$ out by ! ,(fice & any       
relevant data relat+ to su* activities &
 goals = ! ,(fice = ! foll[+ ye>4  7f7  
,cov]$ nutrition program def9$ ,9 ?is   
section1 ! t]m cov]$ nutrition program  
means-- 7#a7 ! s*ool lun* program       
e/abli%$ "u ! ,ri*>d ,b4 ,russell       
,national ,s*ool ,lun* ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #agea et seq472  7#b7 ! s*ool 
breakfa/ program e/abli%$ "u section #d 
( ! ,*ild ,nutrition ,act ( #aiff 7#db  
,u4,s4,c4 #aggc72 &  7#c7 ! ,patrick    
,leahy ,f>m to ,s*ool ,program e/abli%$ 
"u section #ah7;g7 ( ! ,ri*>d ,b4       
,russell ,national ,s*ool ,lun* ,act    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agfi7;g774  7g7 ,fund+  
7#a7 ,m&atory fund+ ,( ! funds ( !      
,commodity ,cr$it ,corporation1 !       
,secret>y %all use to c>ry out ?is      

section #a1fjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s  
#bjbe ?r\gh #bjbi1 to rema9 available   
until exp5d$4  7#b7 ,discretion>y fund+ 
,!re are au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to  
c>ry out ?is section #a1fjj1jjj = ea* ( 
fiscal ye>s #bjbe ?r\gh #bjbi1 to rema9 
available until exp5d$4  4