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Authorized a food stamp program to permit low income
households to receive "a greater share of the Nation's
food abundance". |
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Defined the following terms as follows: |
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"Secretary" to mean the Secretary of Agriculture |
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"food" to mean any food or food product for human
consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco, those
foods which are identified on the package as being
imported, and meat and meat products which are imported. |
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"coupon" to mean any coupon, stamp, or type of
certificate issued pursuant to the provisions of the FSA |
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"coupon allotment" to mean the total value of coupons to
be issued to a household during each month or other time
period |
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"household" to mean a group of related or non-related
individuals, who are not residents of an institution or
boarding house, but are living as one economic unit
sharing common cooking facilities and for whom food is
customarily purchased in common. Term also to mean a
single individual living alone who has cooking
facilities and who purchases and prepares food for home
consumption. |
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"retail food store" to mean an establishment, including
a recognized department thereof, or a house-to-house
trade route which sells food to households for home
consumption. |
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"wholesale food concern" to mean an establishment which
sells food to retail food stores for resale to
households |
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"State agency" to mean the agency of the State
government which has responsibility for the
administration of the federally aided public assistance
programs |
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"bank" to mean member or nonmember banks of the Federal
Reserve System |
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"State" to mean the fifty States and the District of
Columbia |
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"food stamp program" to mean any program promulgated
pursuant to the provisions of the FSA. |
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Authorized the Secretary to formulate and administer a
FSP under which, at the request of an appropriate State
agency, eligible households within the State shall be
provided with an opportunity more nearly to obtain a
nutritionally adequate diet through the issuance to them
of a coupon allotment which shall have a greater
monetary value than their normal expenditures for food. |
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Coupons to be used only to purchase food from retail
food stores which have been approved for participation
in the FSP. |
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Coupons issued and used to be redeemable at face value
by the Secretary through the facilities of the Treasury
of the U.S. |
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Prohibited distribution of federally owned foods to
households under the authority of any other law except
during emergency situations caused by a national or
other disaster as determined by the Secretary. |
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Secretary to issue regulations, not inconsistent with
the FSA, as he deems necessary or appropriate for the
effective and efficient administration of the FSP. |
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FSP participation limited to those households whose
income is determined to be a substantial limiting factor
in the attainment of a nutritionally adequate diet. |
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Each State agency to establish standards to determine
the eligibility of applicant households. Standards to
include maximum income limitations consistent with the
income standards used by the State agency in
administration of its federally aided public assistance
programs. Standards to also place a limitation on the
resources to be allowed eligible households. Eligibility
standards to be approved by the Secretary. |
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Coupons to be printed in such denominations as may be
necessary, and issued only to eligible households. |
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Coupons issued to eligible households to be used only to
purchase food in retail food stores which have been
approved for participation in the FSP at prices
prevailing in such stores. |
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Secretary prohibited from specifying prices at which
food may be sold by wholesale food concerns or retail
food stores. |
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Coupons to be simple in design. The name of any public
official not to appear on coupons. |
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Face value of coupon allotment to be in such amount as
will provide households with an opportunity more nearly
to obtain a low-cost nutritionally adequate diet. |
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Households charged such portion of the face value of the
coupon allotment issued to them as is determined to be
equivalent to their normal expenditures for food. |
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Bonus value not to be considered income or resources for
any purpose under any Federal or State laws including,
but not limited to, laws relating to taxation, welfare,
and public assistance programs. |
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Funds derived from the charges made for the coupon
allotment to be promptly deposited in a manner
prescribed in regulations, in a separate account
maintained in the Treasury of the U.S. for such purpose. |
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Regulations to provide for the submission of
applications for approval by retail food stores and
wholesale food concerns which desire to be authorized to
accept and redeem coupons under the FSP and for the
approval of applicants whose participation will
effectuate the purposes of the FSP. |
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Regulations to require an applicant retail food store or
wholesale food concern to submit information which will
permit a determination to be made as to whether such
applicant qualifies, or continues to qualify, for
approval under the FSA or regulations. Regulations to
provide for safeguards which restrict the use or
disclosure of such information to purposes directly
connected with administration and enforcement of the
provisions of the FSA or regulations. |
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Retail food store or wholesale food concern which has
failed to receive approval to participate in the FSP may
obtain a hearing on such refusal. |
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Regulations to provide for the redemption of coupons
accepted by retail food stores through approved
wholesale food concerns or through banks, with the
cooperation of the Treasury Dept. |
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State agency of each participating State to assume
responsibility for the certification of applicant
households and for the issuance of coupons. Records to
be kept as necessary to ascertain whether the program is
being conducted in compliance with the provisions of the
FSA and regulations. Records to be available for
inspection and audit and to be preserved for such period
of time, not in excess of three years, as may be
specified in regulations. |
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Discrimination against any household by reason of race,
religious creed, national origin, or political beliefs
prohibited in the certification of applicant households. |
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Participating States or political subdivisions
prohibited from decreasing welfare grants or other
similar aid extended to any person or persons as a
consequence of such person's or persons' participation
in benefits made available under the FSA or regulations. |
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State agencies desiring to participate in the FSP
required to submit a plan of operation specifying the
manner in which the program will be conducted within the
State. Plan to include standards to be used in
determining the eligibility of applicant households;
that certification of applicant households are to be
undertaken in accordance with the general procedures and
personnel standards used by them in the certification of
applicants under the federally aided public assistance
programs; safeguards which restrict the use or
disclosure of information obtained from applicant
households to persons directly connected with the
administration or enforcement of the FSA or regulations;
and for the submission of such reports and other
information as may be required. Secretary to provide for
an equitable and orderly expansion among the several
States in accordance with their relative need and
readiness to meet their requested effective dates of
participation. |
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Secretary to direct that there be no further issuance of
coupons in the political subdivisions where there is a
failure by a State agency to comply substantially with
the provisions of the FSA, or with the State plan of
operation, following a reasonable period of time for the
correction of such failure, until such time as
satisfactory corrective action has been taken. |
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States are liable to the Federal Government for the cost
of gross negligence or fraud in the certification of
applicant households. |
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Any approved retail food store or wholesale food concern
may be disqualified from further participation on a
finding that it has violated any of the provisions of
the FSA or regulations. Disqualification period to be
determined in accordance with regulations and subject to
review. |
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Secretary has the power to determine the amount of and
settle and adjust any claim and to compromise or deny
all or part of any such claim or claims arising under
the provisions of the FSA or regulations. |
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Notice of administrative action to be issued to retail
food store or wholesale food concern whenever: |
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an application to participate is denied
a retail food store or a wholesale food concern in
disqualified, or
all or part of any claim of a retail food store or
wholesale food concern is denied.
If store or concern is aggrieved by such action, it may,
within 10 days of the date of delivery of such notice,
file a written request for an opportunity to submit
information in support of its position to such person or
persons as the regulations may designate If such a
request is made, such information as may be submitted,
as well as such other information as may be available,
shall be reviewed by the person or persons designated,
who shall make a final determination which shall which
shall take effect fifteen days after the date of the
delivery of the final determination. If the store or
concern feels aggrieved by such final determination he
may obtain judicial review by filing a complaint in the
U.S. district court or in any court of record of the
State having competent jurisdiction, within 30 days
after the date of delivery or service of the final
notice of determination upon him. |
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Secretary may provide for the issuance or presentment
for redemption of coupons to such person or persons, and
at such times and in such manner, as he deems necessary. |
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$10,000 fine or five year imprisonment for anyone who
knowingly uses, transfers, acquires, or possesses
coupons in any manner not authorized by the FSP or
regulations, or whoever presents, or causes to be
presented, coupons for payment or redemption of the
value of $100 or more, knowing the same to have been
received, transferred, or used in any manner in
violation of the provisions of the FSA or regulations if
such coupons are of the value of $100 or more. $5,000
fine or one year imprisonment if such coupons are of the
value of less than $100. |
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Coupons issued pursuant to the FSA to be deemed to be
obligations of the U.S. |
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Each State responsible for financing, the costs of
carrying out the administrative responsibilities
assigned to it under the FSA including, but not limited
to, the certification of households; the acceptance,
storage, and protection of coupons after their delivery
to receiving points within the States; and the issuance
of such coupons to eligible households and the control
and accounting therefor. |
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Secretary authorized to cooperate with State agencies in
the certification of households which are not receiving
any type of public assistance. Cooperation to include
payments to State agencies for part of the cost they
incur in the certification of such households. The
amount of such payment to be 50% of the sum of: (1) the
direct salary costs (including the cost of such fringe
benefits as are normally paid to its personnel by the
State agency) of the personnel necessary to certify the
eligibility of such households, and of the immediate
supervisor of such personnel, for such periods of time
as they are employed in certifying the eligibility of
such households; (2) travel and related costs incurred
by such personnel in post interview field investigations
of such households; and (3) an amount not to exceed 25%
of the costs computed under (1) and (2) above. |
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Appropriated $75 million for FY 1965, $100 million for
FY 1966, $200 million for FY 1967, and not in excess of
such sum as may hereafter be authorized by Congress for
any subsequent FY. Bonus amounts of such appropriation
to be transferred to a separate Treasury account. |
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Secretary to limit the value of bonus coupons, to an
amount which is not in excess of the portion of the
appropriation for such FY which is transferred to the
separate account. If the Secretary finds that the
requirements of participating States will exceed this
limitation, the Secretary must direct State agencies to
reduce the amount of such coupons to be issued to
participating households to the extent necessary to
comply with the provisions of this section. |
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If Secretary determines that any of the funds in the
separate account are no longer required to carry out the
provisions of the FSA, such portion of such funds were
to be paid into the miscellaneous receipts of the
Treasury. |
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Amounts expended under this act not to be considered
amounts expended for the purpose of carrying out the
agricultural price-support program and appropriations
for the purposes of this Act shall be considered, for
the purpose of budget presentations, to relate to the
functions of the Government concerned with welfare. |
