SA 3699. Mr. LEAHY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 2419, to provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle F of title IV, add the following:
SEC. 4__X. INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION GRANTS TO SUPPORT RURAL FOOD BANK DELIVERY OF HEALTHY PERISHABLE FOODS.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to provide grants to State and local food banks and other emergency feeding organizations (as defined in section 201A of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501))--
(1) to support and expand the efforts of food banks operating in rural areas to procure and transport highly perishable and healthy food;
(2) to improve identification of potential providers of donated food and to enhance the nonprofit food donation system, particularly in and for rural areas; and
(3) to support the procurement of locally produced food from small and family farms and ranches for distribution to needy people.
(b) Definition of Time-Sensitive Food Product.--
(1) IN GENERAL.--In this section, the term ``time-sensitive food product'' means a fresh, raw, or processed food with a short time limitation for safe and acceptable consumption, as determined by the Secretary.
(2) INCLUSIONS.--The term ``time-sensitive food product'' includes--
(A) fruits;
(B) vegetables;
(C) dairy products;
(D) meat;
(E) fish; and
(F) poultry.
(c) Grant Program.--
(1) IN GENERAL.--The Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall provide grants, on a competitive basis, to expand the capacity and infrastructure of food banks, statewide food bank associations, and regional food bank collboratives that operate in rural areas to improve the capacity of the food banks to receive, store, distribute, track, collect, and deliver time-sensitive food products made available from national and local food donors.
(2) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.--The maximum amount of a grant provided under this subsection shall be not more than $1,000,000 for a fiscal year.
(3) USE OF FUNDS.--A food bank may use a grant provided under this section for--
(A) the development and maintenance of a computerized system for the tracking of time-sensitive food products;
(B) capital, infrastructure, and operating costs associated with--
(i) the collection and transportation of time-sensitive food products; or
(ii) the storage and distribution of time-sensitive food products;
(C) improving the security and diversity of the emergency food distribution and recovery systems of the United States through the support of--
(i) small, midsize, or family farms and ranches;
(ii) fisheries and aquaculture; and
(iii) donations from local food producers and manufacturers to persons in need;
(D) providing recovered healthy foods to food banks and similar nonprofit emergency food providers to reduce hunger in the United States; and
(E) improving the identification of--
(i) potential providers of donated foods;
(ii) potential nonprofit emergency food providers; and
(iii) persons in need of emergency food assistance in rural areas.
(d) Audits.--The Secretary shall establish fair and reasonable procedures to audit the use of funds made available to carry out this section.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.


(As printed in the Congressional Record for the Senate on Nov 15, 2007.)