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Summary:
The Food Stamp program, child nutrition programs, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (the WIC program), and federally donated food commodities delivered through relief organizations provide major support in disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Existing laws authorize the Agriculture Department to change eligibility and benefit rules to facilitate emergency aid, and, in the short term, funding and federally provided food commodities are available without the need for additional appropriations. With regard to Hurricane Katrina, numerous food assistance program rules have been waived -- e.g., granting at least one-month's food stamp benefits to affected households, authorizing free school meals to affected children, greatly easing eligibility documentation requirements. It also is likely that these same (or expanded) rules will apply in the wake of Hurricane Rita. However, a number of potential issues are likely to face Congress in the longer term -- e.g., administrative costs, how long to extend disaster rules, costs associated with replenishing commodity stocks used to help hurricane victims, additional funding for the WIC program in affected areas, how to deal with those made temporarily eligible (like some noncitizens normally barred from participation in food stamps), whether to increase normal benefits and loosen eligibility rules for those affected. Several bills were introduced in response to Hurricane Katrina (S. 1695 and H.R. 3809 are the most prominent). They would expand on the steps the Administration has already taken. For example, they would lengthen the period during which disaster rules apply, further ease eligibility and benefit rules for food stamps, and mandate extra money to support the distribution of food commodities and the WIC program. With respect to food assistance, no Administration proposals have yet been advanced, nor has legislation directly related to Hurricane Rita been introduced. Specific disaster-related food assistance funding has not yet been proposed as part of the appropriations process. This report will be updated as events warrant.
