II
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1172
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 19, 2007
Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Smith, Mr. Obama, Mr. Reed, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Rockefeller, and Mr. Akaka) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To reduce hunger in the United States.
Short title; table of contents
Short title
This Act may be cited
as the Hunger-Free Communities Act of
2007
.
Table of contents
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
TITLE I—National commitment to end hunger
Sec. 101. Hunger reports.
TITLE II—Strengthening community efforts
Sec. 121. Hunger-free communities collaborative grants.
Sec. 122. Hunger-free communities infrastructure grants.
Sec. 123. Hunger-free communities training and technical assistance grants.
Sec. 124. Report.
Sec. 125. Authorization of appropriations.
Findings
Congress finds that—
at the 1996 World Food Summit, the United States, along with 185 other countries, pledged to reduce the number of undernourished people by half by 2015; and
as a result of that pledge, the Department of Health and Human Services adopted the Healthy People 2010 goal to cut food insecurity in half by 2010, and in doing so reduce hunger;
national nutrition programs are among the fastest, most direct ways to efficiently and effectively prevent hunger, reduce food insecurity, and improve nutrition among the populations targeted by a program;
in 2001, food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency shelters helped to feed more than 23,000,000 low-income people; and
community-based organizations and charities can help—
play an important role in preventing and reducing hunger;
measure community food security;
develop and implement plans for improving food security;
educate community leaders about the problems of and solutions to hunger;
ensure that local nutrition programs are implemented effectively; and
improve the connection of food insecure people to anti-hunger programs.
Definitions
In this Act:
Domestic hunger goal
The term domestic hunger goal means—
the goal of reducing hunger in the United States to at or below 2 percent by 2010; or
the goal of reducing food insecurity in the United States to at or below 6 percent by 2010.
Emergency feeding organization
The term emergency feeding organization has the meaning given the term in section 201A of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501).
Food security
The term food security means the state in which an individual has access to enough food for an active, healthy life.
Hunger-free communities goal
The term hunger-free communities goal means any of the 14 goals described in the H. Con. Res. 302 (102nd Congress).
Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
National commitment to end hunger
Hunger reports
Study
Timeline
In general
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a study of major matters relating to the problem of hunger in the United States, as determined by the Secretary.
Update
Not later than 5 years after the date on which the study under subparagraph (A) is conducted, the Secretary shall update the study.
Matters to be assessed
The matters to be assessed by the Secretary in the study and update under this section shall include—
data on hunger and food insecurity in the United States;
measures carried out during the previous year by Federal, State, and local governments to achieve domestic hunger goals and hunger-free communities goals;
measures that could be carried out by Federal, State, and local governments to achieve domestic hunger goals and hunger-free communities goals; and
the impact of hunger and household food insecurity on obesity, in the context of poverty and food assistance programs.
Recommendations
The Secretary shall develop recommendations on—
removing obstacles to achieving domestic hunger goals and hunger-free communities goals; and
otherwise reducing domestic hunger.
Report
The Secretary shall submit to the President and Congress—
not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, a report that contains—
a detailed statement of the results of the study, or the most recent update to the study, conducted under subsection (a)(1); and
the most recent recommendations of the Secretary under subsection (b); and
not later than 5 years after the date of submission of the report under paragraph (1), an update of the report.
Strengthening community efforts
Hunger-free communities collaborative grants
Definition of eligible entity
In this section, the term eligible entity means a public food program service provider or a nonprofit organization, including but not limited to an emergency feeding organization, that demonstrates the organization has collaborated, or will collaborate, with 1 or more local partner organizations to achieve at least 1 hunger-free communities goal.
Program authorized
In general
The Secretary shall use not more than 50 percent of any funds made available under section 125 to make grants to eligible entities to pay the Federal share of the costs of an activity described in subsection (d).
Federal share
The Federal share of the cost of carrying out an activity under this section shall not exceed 80 percent.
Non-Federal share
Calculation
The non-Federal share of the cost of an activity under this section may be provided in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including facilities, equipment, or services.
Sources
Any entity may provide the non-Federal share of the cost of an activity under this section through a State government, a local government, or a private source.
Application
In general
To receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at the time and in the manner and accompanied by any information the Secretary may require.
Contents
Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall—
identify any activity described in subsection (d) that the grant will be used to fund;
describe the means by which an activity identified under subparagraph (A) will reduce hunger in the community of the eligible entity;
list any partner organizations of the eligible entity that will participate in an activity funded by the grant;
describe any agreement between a partner organization and the eligible entity necessary to carry out an activity funded by the grant; and
if an assessment described in subsection (d)(1) has been performed, include—
a summary of that assessment; and
information regarding the means by which the grant will help reduce hunger in the community of the eligible entity.
Priority
In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that—
demonstrate in the application of the eligible entity that the eligible entity makes collaborative efforts to reduce hunger in the community of the eligible entity; and
serve a predominantly rural and geographically underserved area;
serve communities in which the rates of food insecurity, hunger, poverty, or unemployment are demonstrably higher than national average rates;
provide evidence of long-term efforts to reduce hunger in the community;
provide evidence of public support for the efforts of the eligible entity; or
demonstrate in the application of the eligible entity a commitment to achieving more than 1 hunger-free communities goal.
Use of funds
Assessment of hunger in the community
In general
An eligible entity in a community that has not performed an assessment described in subparagraph (B) may use a grant received under this section to perform the assessment for the community.
Assessment
The assessment referred to in subparagraph (A) shall include—
an analysis of the problem of hunger in the community served by the eligible entity;
an evaluation of any facility and any equipment used to achieve a hunger-free communities goal in the community;
an analysis of the effectiveness and extent of service of existing nutrition programs and emergency feeding organizations; and
a plan to achieve any other hunger-free communities goal in the community.
Activities
An eligible entity in a community that has submitted an assessment to the Secretary shall use a grant received under this section for any fiscal year for activities of the eligible entity, including—
meeting the immediate needs of people in the community served by the eligible entity who experience hunger by—
distributing food;
providing community outreach; or
improving access to food as part of a comprehensive service;
developing new resources and strategies to help reduce hunger in the community;
establishing a program to achieve a hunger-free communities goal in the community, including—
a program to prevent, monitor, and treat children in the community experiencing hunger or poor nutrition; or
a program to provide information to people in the community on hunger, domestic hunger goals, and hunger-free communities goals; and
establishing a program to provide food and nutrition services as part of a coordinated community-based comprehensive service.
Hunger-free communities infrastructure grants
Definition of eligible entity
In this section, the term eligible entity means an emergency feeding organization (as defined in section 201A(4) of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501(4))).
Program authorized
In general
The Secretary shall use not more than 40 percent of any funds made available under section 125 to make grants to eligible entities to pay the Federal share of the costs of an activity described in subsection (d).
Federal share
The Federal share of the cost of carrying out an activity under this section shall not exceed 80 percent.
Application
In general
To receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at the time and in the manner and accompanied by any information the Secretary may require.
Contents
Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall—
identify any activity described in subsection (d) that the grant will be used to fund; and
describe the means by which an activity identified under subparagraph (A) will reduce hunger in the community of the eligible entity.
Priority
In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities the applications of which demonstrate 2 or more of the following:
The eligible entity serves a predominantly rural and geographically underserved area.
The eligible entity serves a community in which the rates of food insecurity, hunger, poverty, or unemployment are demonstrably higher than national average rates.
The eligible entity serves a community that has carried out long-term efforts to reduce hunger in the community.
The eligible entity serves a community that provides public support for the efforts of the eligible entity.
The eligible entity is committed to achieving more than 1 hunger-free communities goal.
Use of funds
An eligible entity shall use a grant received under this section for any fiscal year to carry out activities of the eligible entity, including—
constructing, expanding, or repairing a facility or equipment to support hunger relief agencies in the community;
assisting an emergency feeding organization in the community in obtaining locally-produced produce and protein products; and
assisting an emergency feeding organization in the community to process and serve wild game.
Hunger-free communities training and technical assistance grants
Definition of eligible entity
In this section, the term eligible entity means a national or regional nonprofit organization that carries out an activity described in subsection (d).
Program authorized
In general
The Secretary shall use not more than 10 percent of any funds made available under section 125 to make grants to eligible entities to pay the Federal share of the costs of an activity described in subsection (d).
Federal share
The Federal share of the cost of carrying out an activity under this section shall not exceed 80 percent.
Application
In general
To receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at the time and in the manner and accompanied by any information the Secretary may require.
Contents
Each application submitted under paragraph (1) shall—
demonstrate that the eligible entity does not operate for profit;
describe any national or regional training program carried out by the eligible entity, including a description of each region served by the eligible entity;
describe any national or regional technical assistance provided by the eligible entity, including a description of each region served by the eligible entity; and
describe the means by which each organization served by the eligible entity—
works to achieve a domestic hunger goal;
works to achieve a hunger-free communities goal; or
used a grant received by the organization under section 121 or 122.
Priority
In making grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities the applications of which demonstrate 2 or more of the following:
The eligible entity serves a predominantly rural and geographically underserved area.
The eligible entity serves a region in which the rates of food insecurity, hunger, poverty, or unemployment are demonstrably higher than national average rates.
The eligible entity serves a region that has carried out long-term efforts to reduce hunger in the region.
The eligible entity serves a region that provides public support for the efforts of the eligible entity.
The eligible entity is committed to achieving more than 1 hunger-free communities goal.
Use of funds
An eligible entity shall use a grant received under this section for any fiscal year to carry out national or regional training and technical assistance for organizations that—
work to achieve a domestic hunger goal;
work to achieve a hunger-free communities goal; or
receive a grant under section 121 or 122.
Report
Not later than September 30, 2013, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing—
each grant made under this title, including—
a description of any activity funded by such a grant; and
the degree of success of each activity funded by such a grant in achieving hunger-free communities goals; and
the degree of success of all activities funded by grants under this title in achieving domestic hunger goals.
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013.