A_Agricultural Act of 2014_with cover page (page 153-163)

ATTACHMENT A
AGRICULTURE ACT OF 2014 (THE 2014 FARM BILL)

PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014

128 STAT. 799

‘‘(B) improvements in administration and distribution;
and
‘‘(C) actions to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.’’.
SEC. 4022. PILOT PROJECTS TO REDUCE DEPENDENCY AND INCREASE
WORK REQUIREMENTS AND WORK EFFORT UNDER
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 16(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2025(h)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) in subparagraph (A)—
(i) by striking ‘‘15 months’’ and inserting ‘‘24
months’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘, except that for fiscal year 2013
and fiscal year 2014, the amount shall be $79,000,000’’;
(B) in subparagraph (C)—
(i) by striking ‘‘If a State’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—If a State’’; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(ii) TIMING.—The Secretary shall collect such
information as the Secretary determines to be necessary about the expenditures and anticipated expenditures by the State agencies of the funds initially allocated to the State agencies under subparagraph (A)
to make reallocations of unexpended funds under
clause (i) within a timeframe that allows each State
agency to which funds are reallocated at least 270
days to expend the reallocated funds.
‘‘(iii) OPPORTUNITY.—The Secretary shall ensure
that all State agencies have an opportunity to obtain
reallocated funds.’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(F) PILOT PROJECTS TO REDUCE DEPENDENCY AND

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INCREASE WORK REQUIREMENTS AND WORK EFFORT UNDER
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—
‘‘(i) PILOT PROJECTS REQUIRED.—
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry

out pilot projects under which State agencies shall
enter into cooperative agreements with the Secretary to develop and test methods, including operating work programs with certain features comparable to the program of block grants to States
for temporary assistance for needy families established under part A of title IV of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), for employment and
training programs and services to raise the number
of work registrants under section 6(d) of this Act
who obtain unsubsidized employment, increase the
earned income of the registrants, and reduce the
reliance of the registrants on public assistance,
so as to reduce the need for supplemental nutrition
assistance benefits.
‘‘(II) REQUIREMENTS.—Pilot projects shall—
‘‘(aa) meet such terms and conditions as
the Secretary considers to be appropriate; and

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128 STAT. 800

PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014
‘‘(bb) except as otherwise provided in this
subparagraph, be in accordance with the
requirements of sections 6(d) and 20.
‘‘(ii) SELECTION CRITERIA.—
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall select
pilot projects under this subparagraph in accordance with the criteria established under this clause
and additional criteria established by the Secretary.
‘‘(II) QUALIFYING CRITERIA.—To be eligible to
participate in a pilot project, a State agency shall—
‘‘(aa) agree to participate in the evaluation
described in clause (vii), including providing
evidence that the State has a robust data
collection system for program administration
and cooperating to make available State data
on the employment activities and post-participation employment, earnings, and public benefit receipt of participants to ensure proper
and timely evaluation;
‘‘(bb) commit to collaborate with the State
workforce board and other job training programs in the State and local area; and
‘‘(cc) commit to maintain at least the
amount of State funding for employment and
training programs and services under paragraphs (2) and (3) and under section 20 as
the State expended for fiscal year 2013.
‘‘(III) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In selecting pilot
projects, the Secretary shall—
‘‘(aa) consider the degree to which the pilot
project would enhance existing employment
and training programs in the State;
‘‘(bb) consider the degree to which the pilot
project would enhance the employment and
earnings of program participants;
‘‘(cc) consider whether there is evidence
that the pilot project could be replicated easily
by other States or political subdivisions;
‘‘(dd) consider whether the State agency
has a demonstrated capacity to operate high
quality employment and training programs;
and
‘‘(ee) ensure the pilot projects, when
considered as a group, test a range of strategies, including strategies that—
‘‘(AA) target individuals with low
skills or limited work experience, individuals subject to the requirements under
section 6(o), and individuals who are
working;
‘‘(BB) are located in a range of
geographic areas and States, including
rural and urban areas;
‘‘(CC) emphasize education and
training,
rehabilitative
services
for
individuals with barriers to employment,

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PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014

128 STAT. 801

rapid attachment to employment, and
mixed strategies; and
‘‘(DD) test programs that assign work
registrants to mandatory and voluntary
participation in employment and training
activities.
‘‘(iii) ACCOUNTABILITY .—
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish and implement a process to terminate a pilot
project for which the State has failed to meet
the criteria described in clause (ii) or other criteria
established by the Secretary.
‘‘(II) TIMING.—The process shall include a
reasonable time period, not to exceed 180 days,
for State agencies found noncompliant to correct
the noncompliance.
‘‘(iv) EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES.—
Allowable programs and services carried out under
this subparagraph shall include those programs and
services authorized under this Act and employment
and training activities authorized under the program
of block grants to States for temporary assistance for
needy families established under part A of title IV
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.),
including:
‘‘(I) Employment in the public or private sector
that is not subsidized by any public program.
‘‘(II) Employment in the private sector for
which the employer receives a subsidy from public
funds to offset all or a part of the wages and
costs of employing an adult.
‘‘(III) Employment in the public sector for
which the employer receives a subsidy from public
funds to offset all or a part of the wages and
costs of employing an adult.
‘‘(IV) A work activity that—
‘‘(aa) is performed in return for public
benefits;
‘‘(bb) provides an adult with an opportunity to acquire the general skills, knowledge,
and work habits necessary to obtain employment;
‘‘(cc) is designed to improve the employability of those who cannot find unsubsidized
employment; and
‘‘(dd) is supervised by an employer, work
site sponsor, or other responsible party on an
ongoing basis.
‘‘(V) Training in the public or private sector
that—
‘‘(aa) is given to a paid employee while
the employee is engaged in productive work;
and
‘‘(bb) provides knowledge and skills essential to the full and adequate performance of
the job.

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128 STAT. 802

PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014
‘‘(VI) Job search, obtaining employment, or
preparation to seek or obtain employment,
including—
‘‘(aa) life skills training;
‘‘(bb) substance abuse treatment or mental
health treatment, determined to be necessary
and documented by a qualified medical, substance abuse, or mental health professional;
and
‘‘(cc) rehabilitation activities, supervised
by a public agency or other responsible party
on an ongoing basis.
‘‘(VII) Structured programs and embedded
activities—
‘‘(aa) in which adults perform work for
the direct benefit of the community under the
auspices of public or nonprofit organizations;
‘‘(bb) that are limited to projects that serve
useful community purposes in fields such as
health, social service, environmental protection, education, urban and rural redevelopment, welfare, recreation, public facilities,
public safety, and child care;
‘‘(cc) that are designed to improve the
employability of adults not otherwise able to
obtain unsubsidized employment;
‘‘(dd) that are supervised on an ongoing
basis; and
‘‘(ee) with respect to which a State agency
takes into account, to the maximum extent
practicable, the prior training, experience, and
skills of a recipient in making appropriate
community service assignments.
‘‘(VIII) Career and technical training programs
that are—
‘‘(aa) directly related to the preparation
of adults for employment in current or
emerging occupations; and
‘‘(bb) supervised on an ongoing basis.
‘‘(IX) Training or education for job skills that
are—
‘‘(aa) required by an employer to provide
an adult with the ability to obtain employment
or to advance or adapt to the changing
demands of the workplace; and
‘‘(bb) supervised on an ongoing basis.
‘‘(X) Education that is—
‘‘(aa) related to a specific occupation, job,
or job offer; and
‘‘(bb) supervised on an ongoing basis.
‘‘(XI) In the case of an adult who has not
completed secondary school or received a certificate
of general equivalence, regular attendance that
is—
‘‘(aa) in accordance with the requirements
of the secondary school or course of study,
at a secondary school or in a course of study

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PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014

128 STAT. 803

leading to a certificate of general equivalence;
and
‘‘(bb) supervised on an ongoing basis.
‘‘(XII) Providing child care to enable another
recipient of public benefits to participate in a
community service program that—
‘‘(aa) does not provide compensation for
the community service;
‘‘(bb) is a structured program designed to
improve the employability of adults who
participate in the program; and
‘‘(cc) is supervised on an ongoing basis.
‘‘(v) SANCTIONS.—Subject to clause (vi), no work
registrant shall be eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program if the individual
refuses without good cause to participate in an employment and training program under this subparagraph,
to the extent required by the State agency.
‘‘(vi) STANDARDS.—
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Employment and training
activities under this subparagraph shall be considered to be carried out under section 6(d), including
for the purpose of satisfying any conditions of
participation and duration of ineligibility.
‘‘(II) STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT
ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall establish standards for employment activities described in subclauses (I), (II), and (III) of clause (iv) that ensure
that failure to work for reasons beyond the control
of an individual, such as involuntary reduction
in hours of employment, shall not result in ineligibility.
‘‘(III) PARTICIPATION IN OTHER PROGRAMS.—
Before assigning a work registrant to mandatory
employment and training activities, a State agency
shall—
‘‘(aa) assess whether the work registrant
is participating in substantial employment and
training activities outside of the pilot project
that are expected to result in the work registrant gaining increased skills, training,
work, or experience consistent with the objectives of the pilot project; and
‘‘(bb) if determined to be acceptable, count
hours engaged in the activities toward any
minimum participation requirement.
‘‘(vii) EVALUATION AND REPORTING.—
‘‘(I) INDEPENDENT EVALUATION.—
‘‘(aa) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall,
under such terms and conditions as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, conduct
for each State agency that enters into a
cooperative agreement under clause (i) an
independent longitudinal evaluation of each
pilot project of the State agency under this
subparagraph, with results reported not less

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128 STAT. 804

PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014
frequently than in consecutive 12-month increments.
‘‘(bb) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the independent evaluation shall be to measure the
impact of employment and training programs
and services provided by each State agency
under the pilot projects on the ability of adults
in each pilot project target population to find
and retain employment that leads to increased
household income and reduced reliance on
public assistance, as well as other measures
of household well-being, compared to what
would have occurred in the absence of the
pilot project.
‘‘(cc) METHODOLOGY.—The independent
evaluation shall use valid statistical methods
that can determine, for each pilot project, the
difference, if any, between supplemental nutrition assistance and other public benefit receipt
expenditures, employment, earnings and other
impacts as determined by the Secretary—
‘‘(AA) as a result of the employment
and training programs and services provided by the State agency under the pilot
project; as compared to
‘‘(BB) a control group that is not subject to the employment and training programs and services provided by the State
agency under the pilot project.
‘‘(II) REPORTING.—Not later than December 31,
2015, and each December 31 thereafter until the
completion of the last evaluation under subclause
(I), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate and share broadly, including
by posting on the Internet website of the Department of Agriculture, a report that includes a
description of—
‘‘(aa) the status of each pilot project carried out under this subparagraph;
‘‘(bb) the results of the evaluation completed during the previous fiscal year;
‘‘(cc) to the maximum extent practicable,
baseline information relevant to the stated
goals and desired outcomes of the pilot project;
‘‘(dd) the employment and training programs and services each State tested under
the pilot, including—
‘‘(AA) the system of the State for
assessing the ability of work registrants
to participate in and meet the requirements of employment and training activities and assigning work registrants to
appropriate activities; and

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128 STAT. 805

‘‘(BB) the employment and training
activities and services provided under the
pilot;
‘‘(ee) the impact of the employment and
training programs and services on appropriate
employment, income, and public benefit
receipt as well as other outcomes among
households participating in the pilot project,
relative to households not participating; and
‘‘(ff) the steps and funding necessary to
incorporate into State employment and
training programs and services the components of the pilot projects that demonstrate
increased employment and earnings.
‘‘(viii) FUNDING.—
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subclause (II),
from amounts made available under section
18(a)(1), the Secretary shall use to carry out this
subparagraph—
‘‘(aa) for fiscal year 2014, $10,000,000; and
‘‘(bb) for fiscal year 2015, $190,000,000.
‘‘(II) LIMITATIONS.—
‘‘(aa) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
not fund more than 10 pilot projects under
this subparagraph.
‘‘(bb) DURATION.—Each pilot project shall
be in effect for not more than 3 years.
‘‘(III) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds made
available under subclause (I) shall remain available through September 30, 2018.
‘‘(ix) USE OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Funds made available under
this subparagraph for pilot projects shall be used
only for—
‘‘(aa) pilot projects that comply with this
Act;
‘‘(bb) the program and administrative
costs of carrying out the pilot projects;
‘‘(cc) the costs incurred in developing systems and providing information and data for
the independent evaluations under clause (vii);
and
‘‘(dd) the costs of the evaluations under
clause (vii).
‘‘(II) MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.—Funds made
available under this subparagraph shall be used
only to supplement, not to supplant, non-Federal
funds used for existing employment and training
activities or services.
‘‘(III) OTHER FUNDS.—In carrying out pilot
projects, States may contribute additional funds
obtained from other sources, including Federal,
State, or private funds, on the condition that the
use of the contributions is permissible under Federal law.’’; and
(2) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
‘‘(5) MONITORING.—

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128 STAT. 806

PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall monitor the
employment and training programs carried out by State
agencies under section 6(d)(4) and assess the effectiveness
of the programs in—
‘‘(i) preparing members of households participating
in the supplemental nutrition assistance program for
employment, including the acquisition of basic skills
necessary for employment; and
‘‘(ii) increasing the number of household members
who obtain and retain employment subsequent to
participation in the employment and training programs.
‘‘(B) REPORTING MEASURES.—
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation
with the Secretary of Labor, shall develop State
reporting measures that identify improvements in the
skills, training, education, or work experience of members of households participating in the supplemental
nutrition assistance program.
‘‘(ii) REQUIREMENTS.—Measures shall—
‘‘(I) be based on common measures of performance for Federal workforce training programs; and
‘‘(II) include additional indicators that reflect
the challenges facing the types of members of
households participating in the supplemental
nutrition assistance program who participate in
a specific employment and training component.
‘‘(iii) STATE REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall
require that each State employment and training plan
submitted under section 11(e)(19) identifies appropriate reporting measures for each proposed component
that serves a threshold number of participants determined by the Secretary of at least 100 people a year.
‘‘(iv) INCLUSIONS.—Reporting measures described
in clause (iii) may include—
‘‘(I) the percentage and number of program
participants who received employment and
training services and are in unsubsidized employment subsequent to the receipt of those services;
‘‘(II) the percentage and number of program
participants who obtain a recognized credential,
including a registered apprenticeship, or a regular
secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, while participating in, or within 1 year after
receiving, employment and training services;
‘‘(III) the percentage and number of program
participants who are in an education or training
program that is intended to lead to a recognized
credential, including a registered apprenticeship
or on-the-job training program, a regular secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent,
or unsubsidized employment;
‘‘(IV) subject to terms and conditions established by the Secretary, measures developed by
each State agency to assess the skills acquisition
of employment and training program participants
that reflect the goals of the specific employment

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PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014

128 STAT. 807

and training program components of the State
agency, which may include, at a minimum—
‘‘(aa) the percentage and number of program participants who are meeting program
requirements in each component of the education and training program of the State
agency;
‘‘(bb) the percentage and number of program participants who are gaining skills likely
to lead to employment as measured through
testing, quantitative or qualitative assessment, or other method; and
‘‘(cc) the percentage and number of program participants who do not comply with
employment and training requirements and
who are ineligible under section 6(b); and
‘‘(V) other indicators approved by the Secretary.
‘‘(C) OVERSIGHT OF STATE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING
ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary shall assess State employment
and training programs on a periodic basis to ensure—
‘‘(i) compliance with Federal employment and
training program rules and regulations;
‘‘(ii) that program activities are appropriate to
meet the needs of the individuals referred by the State
agency to an employment and training program component;
‘‘(iii) that reporting measures are appropriate to
identify improvements in skills, training, work and
experience for participants in an employment and
training program component; and
‘‘(iv) for States receiving additional allocations
under paragraph (1)(E), any information the Secretary
may require to evaluate the compliance of the State
agency with paragraph (1), which may include—
‘‘(I) a report for each fiscal year of the number
of individuals in the State who meet the conditions
of paragraph (1)(E)(ii), the number of individuals
the State agency offers a position in a program
described in subparagraph (B) or (C) of section
6(o)(2), and the number who participate in such
a program;
‘‘(II) a description of the types of employment
and training programs the State agency uses to
comply with paragraph (1)(E) and the availability
of those programs throughout the State; and
‘‘(III) any additional information the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
‘‘(D) STATE REPORT.—Each State agency shall annually
prepare and submit to the Secretary a report on the State
employment and training program that includes, using
measures identified under subparagraph (B), the numbers
of supplemental nutrition assistance program participants
who have gained skills, training, work, or experience that
will increase the ability of the participants to obtain regular
employment.

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128 STAT. 808

PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014
‘‘(E) MODIFICATIONS TO THE STATE EMPLOYMENT AND
TRAINING PLAN.—Subject to terms and conditions estab-

7 USC 2014 note.

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7 USC 2025 note.

lished by the Secretary, if the Secretary determines that
the performance of a State agency with respect to employment and training outcomes is inadequate, the Secretary
may require the State agency to make modifications to
the State employment and training plan to improve the
outcomes.
‘‘(F) PERIODIC EVALUATION.—Subject to terms and
conditions established by the Secretary, not later than
October 1, 2016, and not less frequently than once every
5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall conduct a study
to review existing practice and research to identify employment and training program components and practices
that—
‘‘(i) effectively assist members of households
participating in the supplemental nutrition assistance
program in gaining skills, training, work, or experience
that will increase the ability of the participants to
obtain regular employment; and
‘‘(ii) are best integrated with statewide workforce
development systems.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(1) Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7
U.S.C. 2014) is amended—
(A) in subsection (d)(14), by inserting ‘‘or a pilot project
under section 16(h)(1)(F)’’ after ‘‘6(d)(4)(I)’’;
(B) in subsection (e)(3)(B)(iii), by inserting ‘‘or a pilot
project under section 16(h)(1)(F)’’ after ‘‘6(d)(4)’’; and
(C) in subsection (g)(3), in the first sentence, by
inserting ‘‘or a pilot project under section 16(h)(1)(F)’’ after
‘‘6(d)’’.
(2) Section 16(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008
(7 U.S.C. 2025(h)) is amended—
(A) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘or a pilot project
under paragraph (1)(F)’’ after ‘‘6(d)(4)’’; and
(B) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘or a pilot project
under paragraph (1)(F)’’ after ‘‘6(d)(4)’’.
(3) Section 17(b)(1)(B)(iv)(III)(hh) of the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2026(b)(1)(B)(iv)(III)(hh)) is amended by
inserting ‘‘(h)(1)(F),’’ after ‘‘(g),’’.
(c) APPLICATION DATE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this section
(other than the amendments made by subsection (a)(2)) shall
apply beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) PROCESS FOR SELECTING PILOT PROGRAMS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall—
(i) develop and publish the process for selecting
pilot projects under section 16(h)(1)(F) of the Food
and Nutrition Act of 2008 (as added by subsection
(a)(1)(C)); and
(ii) issue such request for proposals for the independent evaluation as is determined appropriate by
the Secretary.
(B) APPLICATION.—The Secretary shall begin considering proposals not earlier than 90 days after the date

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PUBLIC LAW 113–79—FEB. 7, 2014

128 STAT. 809

on which the Secretary completes the actions described
in subparagraph (A).
(C) SELECTION.—Not later than 180 days after the
date on which the Secretary completes the actions described
in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall select pilot projects
from the applications submitted in response to the request
for proposals issued under subparagraph (A).
(3) MONITORING OF EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue
interim final regulations implementing the amendments
made by subsection (a)(2).
(B) STATE ACTION.—States shall include reporting
measures required under section 16(h)(5) of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008 (as amended by subsection (a)(2))
in the employment and training plans of the States for
the first full fiscal year that begins not earlier than 180
days after the date that the regulations described in
subparagraph (A) are published.

7 USC 2025 note.

SEC. 4023. COOPERATION WITH PROGRAM RESEARCH AND EVALUATION.

Section 17 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C.
2026) is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(l) COOPERATION WITH PROGRAM RESEARCH AND EVALUATION.—Subject to the requirements of this Act, including protections
under section 11(e)(8), States, State agencies, local agencies, institutions, facilities such as data consortiums, and contractors participating in programs authorized under this Act shall—
‘‘(1) cooperate with officials and contractors acting on behalf
of the Secretary in the conduct of evaluations and studies
under this Act; and
‘‘(2) submit information at such time and in such manner
as the Secretary may require.’’.
SEC. 4024. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

Section 18(a)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C.
2027(a)(1)) is amended in the first sentence by striking ‘‘2012’’
and inserting ‘‘2018’’.

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SEC. 4025. REVIEW, REPORT, AND REGULATION OF CASH NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS PROVIDED IN PUERTO
RICO.

Section 19 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C.
2028) is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(e) REVIEW, REPORT, AND REGULATION OF CASH NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS PROVIDED IN PUERTO RICO.—
‘‘(1) REVIEW.—The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall carry out a review
of the provision of nutrition assistance in Puerto Rico in the
form of cash benefits under this section that shall include—
‘‘(A) an examination of the history of and purpose
for distribution of a portion of monthly benefits in the
form of cash;
‘‘(B) an examination of current barriers to the redemption of non-cash benefits by current program participants
and retailers;

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Fmt 6580

Sfmt 6581

E:\PUBLAW\PUBL079.113

PUBL079