To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to permit participating households to use food stamp benefits to purchase nutritional supplements providing vitamins or minerals, and for other purposes.

July 28, 2005

Mr. HARKIN (for himself and Mr. HATCH) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

To amend the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to permit participating households to use food stamp benefits to purchase nutritional supplements providing vitamins or minerals, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Food Stamp Vitamin and Mineral Improvement Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) the dietary patterns of Americans often do not comply with the daily intakes of vitamins and minerals the Food and Drug Administration recommends;

(2) children in low-income families and the elderly often fail to achieve adequate nutrient intakes;

(3) pregnant women have particularly high nutrient needs, which they often fail to meet;

(4)(A) scientific studies show that nutritional supplements containing folic acid (a B vitamin) may prevent as many as 60 to 80 percent of neural tube birth defects;

(B) the Public Health Service, in September 1992, recommended that all women of childbearing age who are capable of becoming pregnant consume at least 0.4 milligrams of folic acid per day to reduce the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube birth defects affecting the fetus; and

(C) the Food and Drug Administration has approved a health claim that folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects;

(5) infants who do not receive adequate intakes of iron may suffer from impaired mental and behavioral development; and

(6) scientific evidence indicates that increased intake of specific nutrients over an extended period of time protects against diseases and conditions such as osteoporosis, cataracts, cancer, and heart disease.

SEC. 3. USE OF FOOD STAMPS TO PURCHASE VITAMINS AND MINERALS.

Section 3(g)(1) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2012(g)(1)) is amended by striking `or food product' and inserting `, food product, or nutritional supplement providing a vitamin or mineral'.

END