School Food Modernization Act - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to issue loan guarantees to local educational agencies, tribal organizations, or consortia of such entities to finance the construction, remodeling, or expansion of infrastructure or the purchase of durable equipment that will facilitate their provision of healthy meals through the school breakfast and lunch programs.
Favors loan guarantee applicants that demonstrate a substantial or disproportionate need (as compared with other applicants) for food service infrastructure or durable equipment.
Prohibits a loan guarantee from covering more than 90% of a loan's principal.
Directs the Secretary to award competitive matching grants to experienced third-party training institutions to provide school food service personnel with the training and technical assistance they need to meet updated school lunch program nutrition standards.
[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6481 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6481
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to issue loan guarantees for
purposes of financing improvements to school lunch facilities, training
school food service personnel, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 21, 2012
Mr. Latham (for himself and Mr. McIntyre) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to issue loan guarantees for
purposes of financing improvements to school lunch facilities, training
school food service personnel, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``School Food Modernization Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Durable equipment.--The term ``durable equipment''
means durable food preparation, handling, cooking, and storage
equipment.
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a local educational agency (as defined in
section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
(B) a tribal organization (as defined in section 4
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b)); or
(C) a consortium that includes a local educational
agency referred to in subparagraph (A), a tribal
organization referred to in subparagraph (B), or both.
(3) Infrastructure.--The term ``infrastructure'' means a
food storage facility, kitchen, food service facility, dining
room, or food preparation facility.
(4) School food program.--The term ``school food programs''
means--
(A) the school breakfast program established under
section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C.
1773); and
(B) the school lunch program established under the
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1751 et seq.).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
SEC. 3. LOAN GUARANTEE FOR ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOLS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENTS AND DURABLE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE
HEALTHY MEALS THROUGH SCHOOL FOOD PROGRAM.
(a) Authority To Guarantee Loans.--The Secretary of Agriculture
shall issue a loan guarantee to an eligible entity for purposes of
financing the construction, remodeling, or expansion of infrastructure
or the purchase of durable equipment that the Secretary determines will
assist such entity in providing healthy meals through the school food
programs.
(b) Competitive Basis.--Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary
shall select eligible entities to receive a loan guarantee under this
section on a competitive basis.
(c) Preferences.--In issuing a loan guarantee under this section,
the Secretary shall give a preference to an eligible entity that the
Secretary determines demonstrates substantial or disproportionate (as
compared with another eligible entity seeking a loan guarantee under
this section)--
(1) infrastructure improvement need; or
(2) durable equipment need or impairment.
(d) Oversight.--The Secretary shall establish procedures to enable
the Secretary to oversee the construction, remodeling, or expansion of
infrastructure or the purchase of durable equipment for which a loan
guarantee is issued under this section.
(e) Guarantee Amount.--A loan guarantee issued under this section
may not guarantee more than 90 percent of the principal amount of the
loan.
(f) Use of Commodity Credit Corporation.--The Secretary shall use
the funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit
Corporation to carry out this section.
SEC. 4. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE
PERSONNEL.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a grant program
under which the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis,
to provide support to eligible third-party training institutions
described in subsection (b) to develop and administer training and
technical assistance for school foodservice personnel to meet updated
nutrition standards under section 4(b)(3) of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1753(b)(3)) for the school food
programs.
(b) Criteria for Eligible Third-Party Institutions.--The Secretary
shall establish specific criteria that eligible third-party training
institutions shall meet to receive grants under this section, which
shall include--
(1) a demonstrated capacity to administer effective
training and technical assistance programming to school
foodservice personnel;
(2) prior, successful experience in providing or engaging
in training and technical assistance programming or applied
research activities involving eligible entities, school food
service administrators, or directors;
(3) prior, successful experience in developing relevant
educational training tools or course materials or curricula on
topics addressing child and school nutrition or the updated
nutrition standards under section 4(b)(3) of the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1753(b)(3)); and
(4) the ability to deliver effective and cost-efficient
training and technical assistance programming to school
foodservice personnel at training sites that are located within
a proximate geographic distance to schools, central kitchens,
or other worksites.
(c) Program Assistance.--The Secretary shall assist the
institutions receiving grants under this section in publicizing and
disseminating training and other project materials and online tools
wherever possible.
(d) Federal Share.--
(1) In general.--The Federal share of costs for training
and technical assistance funded through a grant awarded under
this section shall not exceed 90 percent of the total cost of
such training and technical assistance.
(2) Matching.--As a condition of receiving a grant under
this section, the eligible third-party training institution
shall provide matching support in the form of cash or in-kind
contributions.
(e) Oversight.--The Secretary shall establish procedures to enable
the Secretary to--
(1) oversee the operation training and technical assistance
funded through grants awarded under this section; and
(2) ensure that such training and assistance is operated
consistent with the goals and requirements of this Act.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section, $10,000,000 for fiscal year
2014, and such sums as necessary are authorized for each fiscal year
thereafter.
SEC. 5. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than one year after funds are made available to carry out
this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report on the Secretary's progress in implementing the
provisions of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.
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