7 U.S.C. § 2027 : US Code - Section 2027: Appropriations and allotments

Search 7 U.S.C. § 2027 : US Code - Section 2027: Appropriations and allotments

(a) Authorization of allotments; monthly reports of expenditures to
Congressional committees; restriction on use of funds; nutrition
education improvements
(1) To carry out this chapter, there are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as are necessary for each of the fiscal
years 2003 through 2007. Not to exceed one-fourth of 1 per centum
of the previous year's appropriation is authorized in each such
fiscal year to carry out the provisions of section 2026 of this
title, subject to paragraph (3).
(2) No funds authorized to be appropriated under this chapter or
any other Act of Congress shall be used by any person, firm,
corporation, group, or organization at any time, directly or
indirectly, to interfere with or impede the implementation of any
provision of this chapter or any rule, regulation, or project
thereunder, except that this limitation shall not apply to the
provision of legal and related assistance in connection with any
proceeding or action before any State or Federal agency or court.
The President shall ensure that this paragraph is complied with by
such order or other means as the President deems appropriate.
(3)(A) Of the amounts made available under the second sentence of
paragraph (1), not more than $2,000,000 in any fiscal year may be
used by the Secretary to make 2-year competitive grants that will -

(i) enhance interagency cooperation in nutrition education
activities; and
(ii) develop cost effective ways to inform people eligible for
food stamps about nutrition, resource management, and community
nutrition education programs, such as the expanded food and
nutrition education program.
(B) The Secretary shall make awards under this paragraph to one
or more State cooperative extension services (as defined in section
3103(5) of this title) who shall administer the grants in
coordination with other State or local agencies serving low-income
people.
(C) Each project shall include an evaluation component and shall
develop an implementation plan for replication in other States.
(D) The Secretary shall report to the appropriate committees of
Congress on the results of the projects and shall disseminate the
results through the cooperative extension service system and to
State human services and health department offices, local food
stamp program offices, and other entities serving low-income
households.
(b) Limitation of value of allotments; reduction of allotments
In any fiscal year, the Secretary shall limit the value of those
allotments issued to an amount not in excess of the appropriation
for such fiscal year. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
chapter, if in any fiscal year the Secretary finds that the
requirements of participating States will exceed the appropriation,
the Secretary shall direct State agencies to reduce the value of
such allotments to be issued to households certified as eligible to
participate in the food stamp program to the extent necessary to
comply with the provisions of this subsection.
(c) Manner of reducing allotments
In prescribing the manner in which allotments will be reduced
under subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall ensure
that such reductions reflect, to the maximum extent practicable,
the ratio of household income, determined under sections 2014(d)
and 2014(e) of this title, to the income standards of eligibility,
for households of equal size, determined under section 2014(c) of
this title. The Secretary may, in prescribing the manner in which
allotments will be reduced, establish (1) special provisions
applicable to persons sixty years of age or over and persons who
are physically or mentally handicapped or otherwise disabled, and
(2) minimum allotments after any reductions are otherwise
determined under this section.
(d) Requisite action by Secretary to reduce allotments; statement
to Congressional committees
Not later than sixty days after the issuance of a report under
subsection (a) of this section in which the Secretary expresses the
belief that reductions in the value of allotments to be issued to
households certified to participate in the food stamp program will
be necessary, the Secretary shall take the requisite action to
reduce allotments in accordance with the requirements of this
section. Not later than seven days after the Secretary takes any
action to reduce allotments under this section, the Secretary shall
furnish the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate a statement setting forth (1) the basis of
the Secretary's determination, (2) the manner in which the
allotments will be reduced, and (3) the action that has been taken
by the Secretary to reduce the allotments.
(e) Disposition of funds collected pursuant to claims
Funds collected from claims against households or State agencies,
including claims collected pursuant to sections (!1) 2016(f) of
this title, subsections (g) and (h) of section 2020 of this title,
subsections (b) and (c) of section 2022 of this title, and section
2025(c)(1) of this title, claims resulting from resolution of audit
findings, and claims collected from households receiving
overissuances, shall be credited to the food stamp program
appropriation account for the fiscal year in which the collection
occurs. Funds provided to State agencies under section 2025(c) of
this title shall be paid from the appropriation account for the
fiscal year in which the funds are provided.
(f) Transfer of funds
No funds appropriated to carry out this chapter may be
transferred to the Office of the Inspector General, or the Office
of the General Counsel, of the Department of Agriculture.