,i  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #gjfi  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,january #ad1        
#bjbf,ms4 ,mc,donald ,rivet introduced  
the following bill2 which was referred  
to the ,committee on ,agriculture  ,a   
,,bill  ,to amend the ,food and         
,nutrition ,act of #bjjh to expand      
benefits to households eligible for     
,federal and ,state energy assistance   
programs1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,affordable ,food and ,energy ,act  
of #bjbf4  #b4 ,household assistance    
,section #e of the ,food and ,nutrition 
,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjad7 is   
amended-- 7#a7 by amending subsection   
7e77#f77;,c77iv77,i7 to read as follows3
  7,i7 ,in general ,subject to subclause
 7,,ii71 if a ,state agency elects to   
use a standard utility allowance that   
reflects heating and cooling costs1 the 
standard utility allowance shall be made
 available to households that received a
 payment1 or on behalf of which a       

payment was made1 under the ,low-,income
 ,home ,energy ,assistance ,act of #aiha
 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #hfba et seq47 or other 
similar energy assistance program1 if in
 the current month or in the immediately
 preceding #ab months1 the household    
either received such a payment1 or such 
a payment was made on behalf of the     
household1 that was greater than #bj    
annually1 as determined by the          
,secretary4  1 and  7#b7 by amending    
subsection 7k77#d7 to read as follows3  
7#d7 ,third party energy assistance     
payments  7,a7 ,energy assistance       
payments ,for purposes of subsection    
7d77#a71 a payment made under a ,state  
law 7other than a law referred to in    
paragraph 7#b77;,g77 to provide energy  
assistance to a household shall be      
considered money payable directly to the
 household4  7,b7 ,energy assistance    
expenses ,for purposes of subsection    
7e77#f71 an expense paid on behalf of a 
household under a ,state law to provide 
energy assistance shall be considered an

 out-of-pocket expense incurred and paid
 by the household4  4  #c4 ,effective   
date ,this ,act and the amendments made 
by this ,act shall take effect ,july #d1
 #bjbe4