SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS, AND STUDY, OF FOOD STAMP PROGRAM ON INDIAN RESERVATIONS.

SEC. 908. SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS, AND STUDY, OF FOOD STAMP PROGRAM ON INDIAN RESERVATIONS. (a) Suspension of Requirements.— (1) Staggered issuance of coupons.— No State agency shall be required to implement section 7(h)(1) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2016(h)(1)), regarding the staggering of issuance of food stamp coupons, until April 1, 1993. The Secretary of Agriculture shall issue final regulations requiring the staggered issuance of coupons no later than December 1, 1992. (2) Exemption from monthly reporting systems.— No State agency shall be required to exempt households residing on Indian reservations from food stamp program monthly reporting systems until April 1, 1993. The Secretary shall issue final regulations requiring the exemption of households residing on Indian reservations from food stamp program monthly reporting systems no later than December 1, 1992. (b) Study.— (1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall report to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives on the difficulties that residents of Indian reservations experience in obtaining food stamp benefits, in using food stamp benefits, and in purchasing food economically with food stamps. (2) Components.— In carrying out paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall— (A) examine whether monthly reporting requirements are a burden to food stamp households residing on Indian reservations; (B) examine whether prices at food stores serving reservations are increased during the parts of months when food stamps are issued or are decreased during times of the month when most households have exhausted their food stamp allotments; (C) examine whether eligible households residing on reservations would prefer that the households’ food stamp issuances be— (i) staggered throughout the month; (ii) concentrated on the same day of each month; or (iii) staggered during approximately the first 2 weeks of the month; and (D) analyze problems associated with transportation difficulties in terms of food stamp program participation and105 STAT. 1887 any actions that could be taken at the Federal, State, or local level to remedy the problems. (3) Consultation.— In completing the report and recommendations, the Comptroller General shall consult with Indian tribes. State agencies, and other appropriate parties.