Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services

Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services to administer the laws enacted by the Congress for the Food and Consumer Service, $454,000. child nutrition programs (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses to carry out the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751–1769b), except section 21, and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1772–1785, and 1789); except sections 17 and 19; $8,653,297 000, to remain available through September 30, 1998, of which $3,219,544,000 is hereby appropriated and $5,433,753,000 shall be derived by transfer from funds available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c): Provided, That not to exceed $1,000,000 of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for studies and evaluations: Provided further, That up to $4,031,000 shall be available for independent verification of school food service claims. special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (wic) For necessary expenses to carry out the special supplemental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), $3,729,807,000, to remain available through September 30, 1998: Provided, That none of the funds 110 STAT. 1590made available under this heading may be used to begin more than two studies and evaluations: Provided further, That up to $6,750,000 may be used to carry out the farmers’ market nutrition program from any funds not needed to maintain current caseload levels: Provided further, That once the amount for fiscal year 1996 carryover funds has been determined by the Secretary, any funds in excess of $100,000,000 may be transferred by the Secretary of Agriculture to the Rural Utilities Assistance Program and/or to the Rural Housing Insurance Fund for the cost of direct section 502 loans, including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That none of the funds in this Act shall be available to pay administrative expenses of WIC clinics except those that have an announced policy of prohibiting smoking within the space used to carry out the program: Provided further, That none of the funds provided in this account shall be available for the purchase of infant formula except in accordance with the cost containment and competitive bidding requirements specified in section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786): Provided further, That State agencies required to procure infant formula using a competitive bidding system may use funds appropriated by this Act to purchase infant formula under a cost containment contract entered into after September 30, 1996 only if the contract was awarded to the bidder offering the lowest net price, as defined by section 17(b)(20) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, unless the State agency demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the weighted average retail price for different brands of infant formula in the State does not vary by more than five percent. food stamp program For necessary expenses to carry out the Food Stamp Act (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $27,618,029,000: Provided, That funds provided herein shall remain available through September 30, 1997, in accordance with section 18(a) of the Food Stamp Act: Provided further, That $100,000,000 of the foregoing amount shall be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations: Provided further, That not to exceed $3,000,000 of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for studies and evaluations: Provided further, That funds provided herein shall be expended in accordance with section 16 of the Food Stamp Act: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be subject to any work registration or workfare requirements as may be required by law: Provided further, That $1,174,000,000 of the foregoing amount shall be available for nutrition assistance for Puerto Rico as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 2028. commodity assistance program For necessary expenses to carry out the commodity supplemental food program as authorized by section 4(a) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c (note)), the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983, as amended, and section 110 of the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988, $166,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 1998: Provided, That none of these funds shall be available to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for commodities donated to the program. 110 STAT. 1591 food donations programs for selected groups For necessary expenses to carry out section 4(a) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c (note)), and section 311 of the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended (42 U.S.C. 3030a), $141,250,000, to remain available through September 30, 1998. food program administration For necessary administrative expenses of the domestic food programs funded under this Act, .106,128,000, of which $5,000,000 shall be available only for simplifying procedures, reducing overhead costs, tightening regulations, improving food stamp coupon handling, and assistance in the prevention, identification, and prosecution of fraud and other violations of law: Provided, That this appropriation shall be available for employment pursuant to the second sentence of section 706(a) of the Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2225), and not to exceed $150,000 shall be available for employment under 5 U.S.C. 3109.