II
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3602
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 20, 2012
Mr. Inhofe introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To repeal the nutrition entitlement programs and establish a food stamp block grant program.
Short title
This Act may be cited as
the Food Stamp Restoration Act of
2012
.
Food stamp block grant program
In general
For each of fiscal years 2014 through 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this Act as the Secretary) shall establish a food stamp block grant program under which the Secretary shall make annual grants to each participating State that establishes a food stamp program in the State and submits to the Secretary annual reports under subsection (d).
Requirements
As a requirement of receiving grants under this section, the Governor of each participating State shall certify that the State food stamp program includes—
work requirements;
mandatory drug testing;
verification of citizenship or proof of lawful permanent residency of the United States; and
limitations on the eligible uses of benefits that are at least as restrictive as the limitations in place for the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) as of May 31, 2012.
Amount of grant
For each fiscal year, the Secretary shall make a grant to each participating State in an amount equal to the product of—
the amount made available under section 3 for the applicable fiscal year; and
the proportion that—
the number of legal residents in the State whose income does not exceed 100 percent of the poverty line (as defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2), including any revision required by such section)) applicable to a family of the size involved; bears to
the number of such individuals in all participating States for the applicable fiscal year, based on data for the most recent fiscal year for which data is available.
Annual report requirements
In general
Not later than January 1 of each year, each State that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary a report that shall include, for the year covered by the report—
a description of the structure and design of the food stamp program of the State, including the manner in which residents of the State qualify for the program;
the cost the State incurs to administer the program;
whether the State has established a rainy day fund for the food stamp program of the State; and
general statistics about participation in the food stamp program.
Audit
Each year, the Comptroller General of the United States shall—
conduct an audit on the effectiveness of the nutritional assistance block grant program and the manner in which each participating State is implementing the program; and
not later than June 30, submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing—
the results of the audit; and
the manner in which the State will carry out the food stamp program in the State, including eligibility and fraud prevention requirements.
Use of funds
In general
A State that receives a grant under this section may use the grant in any manner determined to be appropriate by the State to provide food stamps to the legal residents of the State.
Availability of funds
Grant funds made available to a State under this section shall—
remain available to the State for a period of 5 years; and
after that period, shall—
revert to the Federal Government to be deposited in the Treasury and used for Federal budget deficit reduction; or
if there is no Federal budget deficit, be used to reduce the Federal debt in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury considers appropriate.
Funding
Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act—
for fiscal year 2014, $40,000,000,000;
for fiscal year 2015, $40,700,000,000;
for fiscal year 2016, $41,600,000,000;
for fiscal year 2017, $42,400,000,000;
for fiscal year 2018, $43,200,000,000;
for fiscal year 2019, $44,100,000,000;
for fiscal year 2020, $45,000,000,000; and
for fiscal year 2021, $45,900,000,000.
Discretionary spending limit adjustment
Section 251(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(c)) is amended—
in paragraph (3),
by striking the figure and inserting $1,106,000,000,000
;
in paragraph (4),
by striking the figure and inserting $1,126,700,000,000
;
in paragraph (5),
by striking the figure and inserting $1,148,600,000,000
;
in paragraph (6),
by striking the figure and inserting $1,173,400,000,000
;
in paragraph (7),
by striking the figure and inserting $1,199,200,000,000
;
in paragraph (8),
by striking the figure and inserting $1,226,100,000,000
;
in paragraph (9),
by striking the figure and inserting $1,253,000,000,000
;
and
in paragraph
(10), by striking the figure and inserting
$1,279,900,000,000
.
Discretionary cap adjustment for new program spending
Section 251A(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a(2)) is amended—
in subparagraph
(B)(ii), by striking the figure and inserting
$550,000,000,000
;
in subparagraph
(C)(ii), by striking the figure and inserting
$560,700,000,000
;
in subparagraph
(D)(ii), by striking the figure and inserting
$571,600,000,000
;
in subparagraph
(E)(ii), by striking the figure and inserting
$583,400,000,000
;
in subparagraph
(F)(ii), by striking the figure and inserting
$596,200,000,000
;
in subparagraph
(G)(ii), by striking the figure and inserting
$610,100,000,000
;
in subparagraph
(H)(ii), by striking the figure and inserting $623,000,000,000
;
and
in subparagraph
(I)(ii), by striking the figure and inserting
$635,900,000,000
.
Repeals
In general
Effective September 30, 2013, the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is repealed.
Repeal of mandatory funding
In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, effective September 30, 2013, the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) (as in effect prior to that date) shall cease to be a program funded through direct spending (as defined in section 250(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900(c)) prior to the amendment made by paragraph (2)).
Direct spending
Effective September 30, 2013, section 250(c)(8) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900(c)(8)) is amended—
in subparagraph (A), by adding
and
at the end;
in subparagraph
(B), by striking ; and
at the end and inserting a period;
and
by striking subparagraph (C).
Entitlement authority
Effective September 30, 2013, section 3(9) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 622(9)) is amended—
by striking
means—
and all that follows through the authority to
make
and inserting means the authority to make
;
by striking
; and
and inserting a period; and
by striking subparagraph (B).
Other direct spending
Effective September 30, 2013, section 1026(5) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 691e(5)) is amended—
in subparagraph (A), by adding
and
at the end;
in subparagraph
(B), by striking ; and
at the end and inserting a period;
and
by striking subparagraph (C).
Relationship to other law
Any reference in this Act, an amendment made by this Act, or any other Act to the supplemental nutrition assistance program shall be considered to be a reference to the food stamp block grant program under this Act.
Baseline
Notwithstanding section 257 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907), the baseline shall assume that, on and after September 30, 2013, no benefits shall be provided under the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) (as in effect prior to that date).