WIC Benefit Flexibility During COVID–19 Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6726 To provide a State option for certain cash-value voucher increases during the COVID–19 public health emergency, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 5, 2020 Ms. SCHRIER (for herself and Mr. WRIGHT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To provide a State option for certain cash-value voucher increases during the COVID–19 public health emergency, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘WIC Benefit Flexi- 4 bility During COVID–19 Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. STATE OPTION FOR CASH-VALUE VOUCHER IN- 6 CREASES. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.— 8 (1) AUTHORITY TO INCREASE AMOUNT OF 9 CASH-VALUE VOUCHER.—During the COVID–19 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:35 May 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6726.IH H6726 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6726 IH public health emergency declared under section 319 1 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) 2 and in response to challenges related to such public 3 health emergency, the Secretary may increase the 4 amount of a cash-value voucher under a qualified 5 food package to an amount less than or equal to 6 $35. 7 (2) APPLICATION OF INCREASED AMOUNT OF 8 CASH-VALUE VOUCHER TO STATE AGENCIES.— 9 (A) NOTIFICATION.—An increase to the 10 amount of a cash-value voucher under para- 11 graph (1) shall apply to any State agency that 12 notifies the Secretary of the intent to use such 13 an increased amount, without further applica- 14 tion. 15 (B) USE OF INCREASED AMOUNT.—A 16 State agency that notifies the Secretary under 17 subparagraph (A) may use or not use the in- 18 creased amount described in such subparagraph 19 during the period beginning on the date of the 20 notification by the State agency under such 21 subparagraph and ending September 30, 2020. 22 (3) APPLICATION PERIOD.—An increase to the 23 amount of a cash-value voucher under paragraph (1) 24 may only apply during the period beginning on the 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:35 May 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6726.IH H6726 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6726 IH date of the enactment of this section and ending on 1 September 30, 2020. 2 (4) SUNSET.—The authority to make an in- 3 crease to the amount of a cash-value voucher under 4 paragraph (1) or to use such an increased amount 5 under paragraph (2)(B) shall terminate on Sep- 6 tember 30, 2020. 7 (b) DEFINITIONS.— 8 (1) CASH-VALUE VOUCHER.—The term ‘‘cash- 9 value voucher’’ has the meaning given the term in 10 section 246.2 of title 7, Code of Federal Regula- 11 tions. 12 (2) QUALIFIED FOOD PACKAGE.—The term 13 ‘‘qualified food package’’ means the following food 14 packages under section 246.10(e) of title 7, Code of 15 Federal Regulations: 16 (A) Food Package IV–Children 1 through 17 4 years. 18 (B) Food Package V–Pregnant and par- 19 tially (mostly) breastfeeding women. 20 (C) Food Package VI–Postpartum women. 21 (D) Food Package VII–Fully breastfeed- 22 ing. 23 (3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 24 the Secretary of Agriculture. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:35 May 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6726.IH H6726 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 6726 IH (4) STATE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘State agency’’ 1 has the meaning given the term in section 17(b) of 2 the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 3 1786(b)). 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:35 May 15, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6726.IH H6726 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS