HR 9281 · 117th Congress 2021–2023, ended

Food Deserts Act

Introduced Nov 10, 2022 Originated House Sponsor André Carson D-IN

Fact sheet

Latest action · Nov 29, 2022 Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedNov 10, 2022
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Food Deserts Act

This bill establishes a Department of Agriculture program to provide grants to states for revolving funds to support the establishment and operation of grocery stores in underserved communities.

An underserved community is a community that has (1) limited access to affordable, healthy foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, in grocery retail stores or farmer-to-consumer direct markets; and (2) a high rate of hunger, a high rate of food insecurity, or a high poverty rate.

States must use the funds to make loans to support grocery stores in underserved communities, including for opening a store (excluding new construction), or supporting or purchasing an existing store.

States may only make loans for grocery stores that meet requirements related to

  • emphasizing unprocessed, healthful foods;
  • providing staple foods and a variety of raw fruits and vegetables;
  • having a plan to keep the foods in stock;
  • charging affordable prices at or below market values;
  • meeting specified matching requirements using nonfederal funds; and
  • being qualified to operate a store or having partnerships with organizations that provide technical assistance.

States must prioritize loan applications from entities that meet criteria related to

  • hiring workers from the underserved community,
  • providing classes or educational information about a healthful diet,
  • sourcing food from local urban farms and gardens, and
  • demonstrating existing supply chain relationships in the grocery industry. 

Cosponsors 13

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Nov 10, 2022 to Jan 3, 2023, with 11 there on the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-MSBennie G. ThompsonOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-ILDanny K. DavisOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-NJDonald M. Payne, Jr.OriginalNov 10, 2022
D-GAHenry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr.OriginalNov 10, 2022
D-OHJoyce BeattyOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-DELisa Blunt RochesterOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-CAMark DeSaulnierOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-CAMark TakanoOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-CARo KhannaOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-TXSheila Jackson LeeOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-OHTim RyanOriginalNov 10, 2022
D-CABarbara LeeDec 22, 2022
D-FLSheila Cherfilus-McCormickJan 3, 2023

Actions 4

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Nov 29, 2022Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
  2. Nov 10, 2022Introduced in House
  3. Nov 10, 2022Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
  4. Nov 10, 2022Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (E1121-1122)

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Agriculture and Food.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Nov 10, 2022Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.