S.Amdt. 3355

SA 3355. Mr. SANDERS (for himself and Ms. Warren) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3224 proposed by Mr.
Roberts (for himself and Ms. Stabenow) to the bill H.R. 2, to provide
for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of
the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle A of title IV, add the following:

SEC. 41__. PARTICIPATION OF PUERTO RICO, AMERICAN SAMOA, AND
THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS IN SUPPLEMENTAL
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--
(1) Definitions.--Section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012) is amended--
(A) in subsection (r), by inserting ``the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands,'' after ``Guam,''; and
(B) in subsection (u)(3), by inserting ``the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands,'' after ``Guam,''.
(2) Eligible households.--Section 5 of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by inserting
``the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,'' after
``Guam,'';
(B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``and Guam,'' and
inserting ``Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American
Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands,''; and
(C) in subsection (e)--
(i) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands,'' after ``Hawaii,'' each place it appears;
and
(ii) in paragraph (6)(B), by inserting ``the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands,'' after ``Guam,''.
(3) Effective date.--
(A) In general.--The amendments made by this subsection
shall be effective with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, as applicable, on the date described in
subparagraph (B) if the Secretary submits to Congress a
certification under subsection (f)(3) of section 19 of the
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028).
(B) Date described.--The date referred to in subparagraph
(A) is, with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, the date established by the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, respectively, in the applicable plan of
operation submitted to the Secretary under subsection
(f)(1)(A) of section 19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008
(7 U.S.C. 2028).
(b) Transition of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the
Northern Mariana Islands to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

[[Page S4754]]

Program.--Section 19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7
U.S.C. 2028) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(f) Transition of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the
Northern Mariana Islands to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program.--
``(1) Submission of plan by puerto rico, american samoa,
and the northern mariana islands.--
``(A) Submission and review of plan of operation.--If a
State agency is designated by the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands (referred to in this subsection as a
`governmental entity') and submits to the Secretary a request
to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance
program and a plan of operation under section 11 (including a
date on which the governmental entity will begin to
participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance
program), the Secretary shall determine whether that
governmental entity and State agency satisfy the requirements
that would apply under this Act for approval of that plan if
the governmental entity were 1 of the several States.
``(B) Determination by secretary.--
``(i) Approval.--The Secretary shall approve a plan of
operation under subparagraph (A) if the governmental entity
and State agency satisfy the requirements described in that
subparagraph.
``(ii) Disapproval.--If the Secretary does not approve a
plan of operation under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall
provide to the governmental entity a statement that describes
each requirement that is not satisfied by the plan.
``(2) Approval of retail food stores.--If the Secretary
approves a plan of operation under paragraph (1)(B)(i), the
Secretary shall accept from retail food stores located in the
applicable governmental entity applications under section 9
for approval to participate in the supplemental nutrition
assistance program.
``(3) Submission of certification to congress.--The
Secretary shall submit to Congress a certification that a
governmental entity qualifies to participate in the
supplemental nutrition assistance program as if the
governmental entity were a State if the Secretary--
``(A) approves the plan of operation under paragraph
(1)(B)(i); and
``(B) approves the applications under paragraph (2) of a
number of retail food stores located in the governmental
entity requesting to participate in the supplemental
nutrition assistance program that would be sufficient to
satisfy the requirements of this Act if the governmental
entity were 1 of the several States.
``(4) Cash benefits provided in puerto rico.--As part of a
plan of operation submitted under paragraph (1)(A), the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may submit to the Secretary a
request to provide benefits under the supplemental nutrition
assistance program in the form of cash.
``(5) Family market program in puerto rico.--As part of a
plan of operation submitted under paragraph (1)(A),
notwithstanding subsection (g), 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 under this section.
``(g) Termination of Effectiveness.--
``(1) In general.--Subsections (a) through (e) shall cease
to be effective with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, as applicable, on the date described in
paragraph (2) if the Secretary submits to Congress a
certification under subsection (f)(3).
``(2) Date described.--The date referred to in paragraph
(1) is, with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto, American
Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
the date established by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, respectively, in the applicable plan of operation
submitted to the Secretary under subsection (f)(1)(A).''.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section
and the amendments made by this section such sums as are
necessary for each fiscal year, to remain available until
expended.
______