3 which would authorize grants to States for the purpose of paying up to 90 percent of the cost of establishing and operating nutrition projects to provide low-cost meals and related services to individuals 60 years of age or older and their spouses. Although no income limitation is established in the bill, States must give preference to projects which serve primarily low-income individuals and, to the extent feasible, minority, Indian and limited English speaking eligible individuals. Each project must provide at least one hot meal per day, 5 or more days per week in a centrally located place, provide home delivered meals where appropriate to homebound persons, supply transportation, provide participants with supportive services such as recreation and health and welfare counseling, and where appropriate provide special menus in accordance with particular health, religious, and ethnic requirements of those participating in the program. The bill authorizes $100 million in fiscal year 1973 and $150 million in fiscal year 1974. Funds are to be allotted to the States on the basis of each State's proportionate share of the Nation's population aged 60 and older. IMPACT AID, POSTAL PROPERTY H.R. 11809 was reported by the committee on December 2, 1971 (H. Rept. 92-703). This bill authorizes the continuation of impact aid payments in fiscal years 1972 and 1973 to local educational agencies which have within their school districts U.S. postal facilities formerly under the jurisdiction of the General Services Administration. The practical effect of the bill is to provide a phaseout period for these local educational agencies which are no longer eligible to receive funds as a result of the transfer of these postal facilities to the U.S. Postal Service. The bill passed the House on December 6. PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYMENT H.R. 3613, the Emergency Employment Act of 1971, legislation to provide during times of high unemployment (4.5 percent or more) for programs of public service employment for unemployed persons, to assist States and local communities in providing needed public services and for other purposes, was reported by the committee on May 4, 1971 (H. Rept. 92-176). The bill passed the House June 2, 1971. Similar legislation had passed the Senate April 1. Final approval was given July 12, 1971 (Public Law 92-54). All persons employed under this act will be engaged in providing public services--community beautification and betterment projects, public safety, recreation programs, public education. The legislation provides that to the extent feasible programs assisted under this act shall be designed toward developing new careers; providing opportunities for career advancement and continued training; and providing transitional employment to enable individuals to move into public. or private employment or training not supported under this act. Special consideration in filling public service jobs is to be given to veterans who served in Korea or Indochina on or after August 5, 1964. Eligible applicants are units of Federal, State, county, and municipal government, public agencies and institutions which are subdivisions of State or general local government, institutions of the Federal Government such as Veterans' Administration hospitals, and Indian tribes residing on reservations. For the purpose of carrying out the program there is authorized to be appropriated $750 million for fiscal year 1972 and $1 billion for fiscal year 1973. There is also authorized a special employment assistance program designed to provide additional funds to create public service employment programs in specific localities where the local rate of unemploy ment is above 6 percent. For this purpose $250 million is authorized for each of the fiscal years 1972 and 1973. SCHOOL LUNCH Child Nutrition Act and National School Lunch Act.-H.R. 9098, legislation to extend the authorization for the school breakfast program and for other purposes, was reported by the committee on June 17, 1971 (H. Rept. 92-283). This legislation passed the House on June 21 and its provisions were subsequently incorporated in H.R. 5257. National School Lunch Act.-H.R. 5257 was reported by the committee on May 12, 1971 (H. Rept. 92-198). It passed the House of Representatives on May 17, the Senate on June 18, and was finally approved June 30 (Public Law 92-32). This legislation adds a new section 15 to the National School Lunch Act authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to use $35 million in fiscal year 1971 to carry out any of the purposes authorized by the National School Lunch Act, and $100 million in 1972 to carry out those provisions of the National School Lunch Act specifically relating to the service of free and reduced price meals to needy children in schools and service institutions. Such funds are to be derived from section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1935 funds (revenues derived from taxes on certain imported commodities). In addition, the act extends the authorization for the school breakfast program at $25 million for each of the fiscal years 1972 and 1973; authorizes the use of up to $20 million in section 32 funds for the supplemental foods program in fiscal year 1972; and extends the authorization for the special food assistance program at $32 million for each of the fiscal years 1972 and 1973. It further amends the Child Nutrition Act to include payment for labor costs in the breakfast program, to allow full Federal cash payments for the breakfasts, to allow prepayment to schools rather than reimbursement, adds a new criterion for the selection of participating schools those schools where there is a special need for improving the nutrition and dietary practices of the children attending (specifically children of working mothers and children from low-income families), provides for the use of the same eligibility requirements for free and reduced price meals in the breakfast program as in the lunch program, amends the National School Lunch Act to allow agencies to consider contributions in kind toward the 20-percent local matching requirement, and drops the pilot program designation for the special food assistance program. School lunch and breakfast programs for needy children.—On October 14, 1971, the committee reported H. J. Res. 923 (H. Rept. 92-572). It passed the House on October 18, the Senate on October 20, and was finally approved November 5, 1971 (Public Law 92–153). The resolution requires the Secretary of Agriculture to use as much of section 32 funds as are necessary to provide sufficient funds for free and reduced price meals for every needy child and to provide an average rate of reimbursement in any State for all lunches of not less than 6 cents per meal until such time as supplemental appropriations are enacted. In addition, it requires a minimum rate of reimbursement of 40 cents for every free and reduced price meal and a higher rate when the school can satisfy the State agency of its need for such additional assistance and provides that the funds made available by this resolution shall be apportioned among the States so as to best achieve the purposes of the resolution. The resolution, further, requires the Secretary to determine the need for additional funds to expand to every eligible school the breakfast and nonfood assistance programs for fiscal year 1972; requires the Secretary to reimburse schools during fiscal year 1972 for free and reduced price meals served to children determined to be needy according to criteria established prior to October 1, 1971; forbids the Secretary to lower minimum standards of eligibility for free and reduced price meals during a fiscal year to be effective that same fiscal year and forbids the Secretary to reduce the number of children to be served in a school district. in any year after the school year has begun; and authorizes the Secretary to transfer funds from section 32 to assist schools which demonstrate a need for additional funds in the school breakfast program. O |