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, $554,000. child nutrition programs (including transfers of funds) For necessary expenses to carry out the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except section 21, and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), except sections 17 and 21; $7,767,816,000, to remain available through September 30, 1999, of which $2,616,425,000 is hereby appropriated and $5,151,391,000 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 none of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for studies and evaluations: Provided further, That up to $4,124,000 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), $3,924,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 1999: Provided, That none of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for studies and evaluations: Provided further, That up to $12,000,000 may be used to carry out the farmers’ market nutrition program from any funds not needed to maintain current caseload levels: Provided further, That notwithstanding sections 17(g), (h), and (i) of such Act, the Secretary shall adjust fiscal year 1998 State allocations to reflect food funds available to the State from fiscal year 1997 under sections 17(i)(3)(A)(ii) and 17(i)(3)(D): Provided further, That the 111 STAT. 2100Secretary shall allocate funds recovered from fiscal year 1997 first to States to maintain stability funding levels, as defined by regulations promulgated under section 17(g), and then to give first priority for the allocation of any remaining funds to States whose funding is less than their fair share of funds, as defined by regulations promulgated under section 17(g): 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: 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.), $25,140,479,000, of which $100,000,000 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, 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 none of the funds made available under this heading shall be used for studies and evaluations. 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) and for administrative expenses pursuant to section 204 of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983, $141,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 1999: Provided, That none of these funds shall be available to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for commodities donated to the program. 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 (42 U.S.C. 3030a), $141,165,000, to remain available through September 30, 1999.111 STAT. 2101 food program administration For necessary administrative expenses of the domestic food programs funded under this Act, $107,619,000, 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.