92D CONGRESS 2D SESSION

S. 3599

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MAY 11, 1972

Mr. PERCY (for himself, Mr. Cook, and Mr. SCHWEIKER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry

A BILL

To expand and improve the direct food distribution program. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 That this Act may be cited as the "Food Distribution Act 4 of 1972".

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STATEMENT OF FINDINGS AND PURPOSE

SEC. 2. (a) The Congress finds that

(1) millions of Americans living in low-income households suffer from hunger and malnutrition because

their income is insufficient to enable them to purchase

a nutritionally adequate diet through normal channels

of trade;

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(2) while the food stamp program enables some low-income households to afford a nutritionally adequate

diet, many low-income households are not located in

areas in which the food stamp program operates or are otherwise unable to participate fully in that program;

(3) for those low-income households not assisted by the food stamp program, the food distribution program is the sole alternative source of Federal family food assistance;

(4) the food distribution program now in effect fails to eliminate hunger and malnutrition among lowincome households;

(5) the food distribution program now in effect is said to be designed and administered for the benefit of

the producers of surplus agricultural commodities rather

than for the benefit of low-income households in need

of adequate nutritious food;

(6) the food distribution program now in effect provides food at times that is either spoiled at the time of distribution or spoils immediately after distribution; that is unsuited to ethnic, religious, or other personal preferences; that is in a form demanding extensive prep

aration; and that is insufficient in quantity and variety

to meet minimum daily nutritional allowances, particu

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larly given the problems of storage and handling confronting low-income households; and

(7) in order fully to safeguard the health and wellbeing of all low-income households by providing them with adequate levels of food consumption and nutrition, it is essential to expand and improve the present food distribution program so that it serves the low-income households not reached by the food stamp program and makes easily accessible to such households food that is unimpaired in quality; that is consonant with the tastes of the recipients; that is appropriately processed and packaged to permit convenient use and storage; and that is of sufficient quantity and variety to constitute a nutritionally adequate diet as prepared and served.

(b) It is the purpose of this Act to expand and improve 16 the food distribution program so that it meets the criteria set 17 forth in subsection (a) (7) of this section and, in combina18 tion with the food stamp program, helps eliminate hunger 19 and malnutrition for every low-income household in the

23 (1) The term "distributing agency" means any State

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agency or the Secretary or any public agency or private non

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1 profit organization responsible for distributing food to recip

2 ient households either by virtue of delegation from a State

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agency or action by the Secretary pursuant to the provisions 4 of section 7 (e) of this Act.

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(2) The term "food distribution program" means the program of distributing federally donated foods and agriculture commodities and products to low-income households 8 under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, as amended 9 (7 U.S.C. 612c), or section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 10 October 31, 1949, as amended, or under any other provision 11 of law administered by the Secretary.

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(3) The term "food stamp program" means the program of distributing food coupons to low-income households 14 under the Food Stamp Act of 1964, as amended.

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(4) The term "household" means one or more individ16 uals, related or nonrelated, who are not residents of an institu17 tion or boardinghouse, but who live together as one economic 18 unit and customarily eat meals together.

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(5) The term "nutritional value" means the amount of 20 nutrients (protein, vitamins A, B, C, and D, carbohydrate, fat, calories, calcium, iron, and such other nutrients as are 22 contained in the nutritional requirements established by the 23 recommended daily allowances of the Food and Nutrition 24 Board, National Academy of Sciences-National Research

Council) contained in a food expressed in terms of the rela

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1 tionship of the amount of each nutrient contained in such

2 food to such recommended daily allowances.

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(6) The term "program subdivision" means any county

4 or other political unit or area smaller than a State in which

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(7) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the

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8 (8) The term "State" means each of the fifty States, 9 the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin 10 Islands, and the Trust Territories of the Pacific.

11 (9) The term "State agency" means the agency of the 12 State government, including the local offices thereof, which 13 has the responsibility for the administration of the food 14 distribution program within the State, except that after July 15 1, 1973, it shall mean the agency responsible for the admin16 istration of the federally aided public assistance programs 17 within the State.

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(10) The term "food" has the meaning prescribed for 19 that term by section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 20 Cosmetic Act, except that such term does not include any 21 fresh fruit.

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(11) The term "perishable or semiperishable food"

means any food which the Secretary determines has a high

24 risk of any of the following as it ages: (A) spoilage; (B)