Definitions
As used in this chapter, the term:
“Access device” means any card, plate, code, account number, or other means of access, including point of sale devices, that can be used, alone or in conjunction with another access device, to obtain payments, allotments, benefits, money, goods, or other things of value, or that can be used to initiate a transfer of funds under this chapter.
“Allotment” means the total value of benefits a household is authorized to receive during each month.
“Allowable medical expenses” means expenditures for (1) medical and dental care, (2) hospitalization or nursing care (including hospitalization or nursing care of an individual who was a household member immediately prior to entering a hospital or nursing home), (3) prescription drugs when prescribed by a licensed practitioner authorized under State law and over-the-counter medication (including insulin) when approved by a licensed practitioner or other qualified health professional, (4) health and hospitalization insurance policies (excluding the costs of health and accident or income maintenance policies), (5) medicare premiums related to coverage under title XVIII of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.], (6) dentures, hearing aids, and prosthetics (including the costs of securing and maintaining a seeing eye dog), (7) eye glasses prescribed by a physician skilled in eye disease or by an optometrist, (8) reasonable costs of transportation necessary to secure medical treatment or services, and (9) maintaining an attendant, homemaker, home health aide, housekeeper, or child care services due to age, infirmity, or illness.
Benefit.—
The term “benefit” means the value of supplemental nutrition assistance provided to a household by means of—
an electronic benefit transfer under section 2016(i) of this title; or
other means of providing assistance, as determined by the Secretary.
Benefit Issuer.—
The term “benefit issuer” means any office of the State agency or any person, partnership, corporation, organization, political subdivision, or other entity with which a State agency has contracted for, or to which it has delegated functional responsibility in connection with, the issuance of benefits to households.
“Certification period” means the period for which households shall be eligible to receive benefits. The certification period shall not exceed 12 months, except that the certification period may be up to 24 months if all adult household members are elderly or disabled. A State agency shall have at least 1 contact with each certified household every 12 months. The limits specified in this subsection may be extended until the end of any transitional benefit period established under section 2020(s) of this title.
“Coupon” means any coupon, stamp, type of certificate, authorization card, cash or check issued in lieu of a coupon.
“Drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation program” means any such program conducted by a private nonprofit organization or institution, or a publicly operated community mental health center, under part B of title XIX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x et seq.) to provide treatment that can lead to the rehabilitation of drug addicts or alcoholics.
EBT Card.—
The term “EBT card” means an electronic benefit transfer card issued under section 2016(i) of this title.
“Elderly or disabled member” means a member of a household who—
is sixty years of age or older;
receives supplemental security income benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.), or Federally or State administered supplemental benefits of the type described in section 212(a) of Public Law 93–66 (42 U.S.C. 1382 note), or
receives Federally or State administered supplemental assistance of the type described in section 1616(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382e(a)), interim assistance pending receipt of supplemental security income, disability-related medical assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.), or disability-based State general assistance benefits, if the Secretary determines that such benefits are conditioned on meeting disability or blindness criteria at least as stringent as those used under title XVI of the Social Security Act;
receives disability or blindness payments under title I, II, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 401 et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., 1381 et seq.] or receives disability retirement benefits from a governmental agency because of a disability considered permanent under section 221(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 421(i));
is a veteran who—
has a service-connected or non-service-connected disability which is rated as total under title 38; or
is considered in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently housebound under such title;
is a surviving spouse of a veteran and—
is considered in need of regular aid and attendance or permanently housebound under title 38; or
is entitled to compensation for a service-connected death or pension benefits for a non-service-connected death under title 38, and has a disability considered permanent under section 221(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 421(i));
is a child of a veteran and—
is considered permanently incapable of self-support under section 1314 of title 38; or
is entitled to compensation for a service-connected death or pension benefits for a non-service-connected death under title 38, and has a disability considered permanent under section 221(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 421(i)); or
is an individual receiving an annuity under section 2(a)(1)(iv) or 2(a)(1)(v) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 (45 U.S.C. 231a(a)(1)(iv) or 231a(a)(1)(v)), if the individual’s service as an employee under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [45 U.S.C. 231 et seq.], after
“Food” means (1) any food or food product for home consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco, hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption other than those authorized pursuant to clauses (3), (4), (5), (7), (8), and (9) of this subsection, and any deposit fee in excess of the amount of the State fee reimbursement (if any) required to purchase any food or food product contained in a returnable bottle or can, regardless of whether the fee is included in the shelf price posted for the food or food product, (2) seeds and plants for use in gardens to produce food for the personal consumption of the eligible household, (3) in the case of those persons who are sixty years of age or over or who receive supplemental security income benefits or disability or blindness payments under title I, II, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 401 et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., 1381 et seq.], and their spouses, meals prepared by and served in senior citizens’ centers, apartment buildings occupied primarily by such persons, public or private nonprofit establishments (eating or otherwise) that feed such persons, private establishments that contract with the appropriate agency of the State to offer meals for such persons at concessional prices subject to section 2018(h) of this title, and meals prepared for and served to residents of federally subsidized housing for the elderly, (4) in the case of persons sixty years of age or over and persons who are physically or mentally handicapped or otherwise so disabled that they are unable adequately to prepare all of their meals, meals prepared for and delivered to them (and their spouses) at their home by a public or private nonprofit organization or by a private establishment that contracts with the appropriate State agency to perform such services at concessional prices subject to section 2018(h) of this title, (5) in the case of narcotics addicts or alcoholics, and their children, served by drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation programs, meals prepared and served under such programs, (6) in the case of certain eligible households living in Alaska, equipment for procuring food by hunting and fishing, such as nets, hooks, rods, harpoons, and knives (but not equipment for purposes of transportation, clothing, or shelter, and not firearms, ammunition, and explosives) if the Secretary determines that such households are located in an area of the State where it is extremely difficult to reach stores selling food and that such households depend to a substantial extent upon hunting and fishing for subsistence, (7) in the case of disabled or blind recipients of benefits under title I, II, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 401 et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., 1381 et seq.], and individuals described in paragraphs (2) through (7) of subsection (j), who are residents in a public or private nonprofit group living arrangement that serves no more than sixteen residents and is certified by the appropriate State agency or agencies under regulations issued under section 1616(e) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1382e(e)] or under standards determined by the Secretary to be comparable to standards implemented by appropriate State agencies under such section, meals prepared and served under such arrangement, (8) in the case of women and children temporarily residing in public or private nonprofit shelters for battered women and children, meals prepared and served, by such shelters, and (9) in the case of households that do not reside in permanent dwellings and households that have no fixed mailing addresses, meals prepared for and served by a public or private nonprofit establishment (approved by an appropriate State or local agency) that feeds such individuals and by private establishments that contract with the appropriate agency of the State to offer meals for such individuals at concessional prices subject to section 2018(h) of this title.
“Homeless individual” means—
an individual who lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence; or
an individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is—
a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter (including a welfare hotel or congregate shelter) designed to provide temporary living accommodations;
an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized;
a temporary accommodation for not more than 90 days in the residence of another individual; or
a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
“Household” means—
an individual who lives alone or who, while living with others, customarily purchases food and prepares meals for home consumption separate and apart from the others; or
a group of individuals who live together and customarily purchase food and prepare meals together for home consumption.
Spouses who live together, parents and their children 21 years of age or younger who live together, and children (excluding foster children) under 18 years of age who live with and are under the parental control of a person other than their parent together with the person exercising parental control shall be treated as a group of individuals who customarily purchase and prepare meals together for home consumption even if they do not do so.
Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), an individual who lives with others, who is sixty years of age or older, and who is unable to purchase food and prepare meals because such individual suffers, as certified by a licensed physician, from a disability which would be considered a permanent disability under section 221(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 421(i)) or from a severe, permanent, and disabling physical or mental infirmity which is not symptomatic of a disease shall be considered, together with any of the others who is the spouse of such individual, an individual household, without regard to the purchase of food and preparation of meals, if the income (as determined under section 2014(d) of this title) of the others, excluding the spouse, does not exceed the poverty line, as described in section 2014(c)(1) of this title, by more than 65 per centum.
In no event shall any individual or group of individuals constitute a household if they reside in an institution or boarding house, or else live with others and pay compensation to the others for meals.
For the purposes of this subsection, the following persons shall not be considered to be residents of institutions and shall be considered to be individual households:
Residents of federally subsidized housing for the elderly, disabled or blind recipients of benefits under title I, II, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 301 et seq., 401 et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., 1381 et seq.].
Individuals described in paragraphs (2) through (7) of subsection (j), who are residents in a public or private nonprofit group living arrangement that serves no more than sixteen residents and is certified by the appropriate State agency or agencies under regulations issued under section 1616(e) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1382e(e)] or under standards determined by the Secretary to be comparable to standards implemented by appropriate State agencies under that section.
Temporary residents of public or private nonprofit shelters for battered women and children.
Residents of public or private nonprofit shelters for individuals who do not reside in permanent dwellings or have no fixed mailing addresses, who are otherwise eligible for benefits.
Narcotics addicts or alcoholics, together with their children, who live under the supervision of a private nonprofit institution, or a publicly operated community mental health center, for the purpose of regular participation in a drug or alcoholic treatment program.
“Reservation” means the geographically defined area or areas over which a tribal organization exercises governmental jurisdiction.
“Retail food store” means—
an establishment or house-to-house trade route that sells food for home preparation and consumption and—
offers for sale, on a continuous basis, a variety of at least 7 foods in each of the 4 categories of staple foods specified in subsection (r)(1), including perishable foods in at least 3 of the categories; or
has over 50 percent of the total sales of the establishment or route in staple foods,
as determined by visual inspection, sales records, purchase records, counting of stockkeeping units, or other inventory or accounting recordkeeping methods that are customary or reasonable in the retail food industry;
an establishment, organization, program, or group living arrangement referred to in paragraphs (3), (4), (5), (7), (8), and (9) of subsection (k);
a store purveying the hunting and fishing equipment described in subsection (k)(6);
any private nonprofit cooperative food purchasing venture, including those in which the members pay for food purchased prior to the receipt of such food, or agricultural producers who market agricultural products directly to consumers; and
a governmental or private nonprofit food purchasing and delivery service that—
purchases food for, and delivers the food to, individuals who are—
unable to shop for food; and
not less than 60 years of age; or
physically or mentally handicapped or otherwise disabled;
clearly notifies the participating household at the time the household places a food order—
of any delivery fee associated with the food purchase and delivery provided to the household by the service; and
that a delivery fee cannot be paid with benefits provided under supplemental nutrition assistance program; and
sells food purchased for the household at the price paid by the service for the food and without any additional cost markup.
“Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.
Except as provided in paragraph (2), “staple foods” means foods in the following categories:
Meat, poultry, or fish.
Bread or cereals.
Vegetables or fruits.
Dairy products.
“Staple foods” do not include accessory food items, such as coffee, tea, cocoa, carbonated and uncarbonated drinks, candy, condiments, and spices.
“State” means the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and the reservations of an Indian tribe whose tribal organization meets the requirements of this chapter for participation as a State agency.
“State agency” means (1) the agency of State government, including the local offices thereof, which has the responsibility for the administration of the federally aided public assistance programs within such State, and in those States where such assistance programs are operated on a decentralized basis, the term shall include the counterpart local agencies administering such programs, and (2) the tribal organization of an Indian tribe determined by the Secretary to be capable of effectively administering a food distribution program under section 2013(b) of this title or a supplemental nutrition assistance program under section 2020(d) of this title.
“Supplemental nutrition assistance program” means the program operated pursuant to this chapter.
“Thrifty food plan” means the diet required to feed a family of four persons consisting of a man and a woman twenty through fifty, a child six through eight, and a child nine through eleven years of age, determined in accordance with the Secretary’s calculations. The cost of such diet shall be the basis for uniform allotments for all households regardless of their actual composition, except that the Secretary shall—
make household-size adjustments (based on the unrounded cost of such diet) taking into account economies of scale;
make cost adjustments in the thrifty food plan for Hawaii and the urban and rural parts of Alaska to reflect the cost of food in Hawaii and urban and rural Alaska;
make cost adjustments in the separate thrifty food plans for Guam, and the Virgin Islands of the United States to reflect the cost of food in those States, but not to exceed the cost of food in the fifty States and the District of Columbia; and
on
“Tribal organization” means the recognized governing body of an Indian tribe (including the tribally recognized intertribal organization of such tribes), as the term “Indian tribe” is defined in the Indian Self-Determination Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(b)), as well as any Indian tribe, band, or community holding a treaty with a State government.
Source
(Pub. L. 88–525, § 3,Notes
References in Text
Codification
Amendments
Change of Name
Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Effective Date of 2004 Amendment
Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Effective Date of 1991 Amendment
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
In General.—
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) and other provisions of this title, this title [see Short Title of 1990 Amendment note set out under section 2011 of this title] and the amendments made by this title shall become effective and implemented the 1st day of the month beginning 120 days after the publication of implementing regulations. Such regulations shall be promulgated not later than
Special Effective Dates.—
October 1, 1990.—
The amendments made by sections 1721, 1730, 1750, 1754, 1760(1)(A), 1761, 1762, 1771(a), 1771(d), 1772(c), 1772(f), 1772(g), and 1776 [amending sections 2014, 2017, 2025 to 2028, 3175, and 3175e of this title and provisions set out as notes under section 612c of this title] shall be effective on
Date of enactment.—
The amendments made by sections 1718, 1729, 1731, 1739, 1742, 1746, 1747, 1748, 1749, 1751, 1753, 1755, 1756, 1757, 1758, 1759, 1760(1)(B) and (2), 1763, 1771(b), 1771(c), 1772(a), 1772(b), 1772(d), 1772(h), 1773, 1774(a)(1), 1774(b), 1774(c), 1775(a), 1775(b), 1777, 1778, and 1779 [enacting section 2032 of this title, amending this section, sections 1431, 1431e, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2022, and 2024 to 2027 of this title and section 9904 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 2011, 2020, and 2025 of this title and section 1751 of Title 42, and amending provisions set out as notes under section 612c of this title] shall become effective on the date of enactment of this Act [
April 1, 1991.—
The amendments made by sections 1716, 1722, and 1736(2) [amending sections 2014 and 2020 of this title] shall become effective and implemented the 1st day of the month beginning 120 days after the promulgation of implementing regulations. Such regulations shall be promulgated not later than
Categorical eligibility.—
The amendment made by section 1714(2) [amending section 2014 of this title] shall become effective and implemented the 1st day of the month beginning 120 days after the promulgation of implementing regulations. Such regulations shall be promulgated—
in the case of a State general assistance program, not later than
in the case of a local general assistance program, not later than
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
In General.—
Except as otherwise provided for in section 503 [set out as a note under section 1766 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare] and in subsection (b) of this section, this Act and the amendments made by this Act [amending sections 2012, 2014 to 2017, 2020 to 2023, 2025, and 2026 of this title, section 713a–14 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and sections 1761, 1766, 1773, and 1786 of Title 42, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 612c and 2011 of this title and sections 1766 and 1786 of Title 42, and amending provisions set out as notes under sections 612c, 1731, and 2012 of this title] shall become effective and be implemented on
Special Rules.—
The amendments made by sections 101, 103, 301, 321(c), 343, and 401 [amending sections 2014 and 2025 of this title and amending provisions set out as a note under section 612c of this title] shall become effective and be implemented on the date of enactment of this Act [
The amendments made by section 402 [amending section 2014 of this title] shall become effective and be implemented on
The amendments made by section 203(a) [amending section 2017 of this title] shall become effective on
The amendments made by section 203(b) [amending section 2016 of this title] shall become effective on
The amendments made by sections 204, 210, 211, subsections (a)(1), (c), and (e) of section 404, sections 310 through 343, and sections 345 through 352 [amending sections 2012, 2014, 2015, 2020, and 2025 of this title and sections 1766 and 1773 of Title 42] shall become effective and implemented on
The amendments made by title VI [amending sections 2022, 2023, and 2025 of this title] shall be effective as follows:
Except as provided in subparagraph (D), the provisions of section 16(c) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended by section 604 [section 2025(c) of this title], shall become effective on
the provisions of section 16(c)(1)(A), as amended, shall become effective on
the provisions of section 16(c)(3), as amended, shall become effective on
The amendments made by sections 601 and 602 [amending section 2022 of this title] shall become effective on
Except as provided in subparagraph (D), the amendments made to section 14 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 [section 2023 of this title] by section 603 shall become effective on
The provisions of sections 13, 14, and 16 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 [sections 2022, 2023, and 2025 of this title] that relate to claims against State agencies and that were in effect for any quality control review period or periods through fiscal year 1985 shall remain in effect for claims arising with respect to such period or periods.
The provisions of sections 14 and 16(c) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 that relate to enhanced administrative funding for State agencies and that were in effect for any quality control review period or periods through fiscal year 1988 shall remain in effect for such funding with respect to such period or periods.
Sequestration.—
In general.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a final order is issued for fiscal year 1989 under section 252(b) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 902(b)), the amount made available to carry out the supplemental nutrition assistance program under section 18 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2027) shall be reduced by an amount equal to $110,000,000 multiplied by the amount of the percentage reduction for domestic programs required under such order. The reduction required by the preceding sentence shall be achieved by reducing the amount of the adjustment to the cost of the thrifty food plan for fiscal year 1989 under [former] section 3(o)(9) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (as added by section 120 of this Act) [former section 2012(o)(9) of this title].
Effective dates if sequestration occurs.—
Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), if a final order is issued under section 252(b) of the Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 902(b)) for fiscal year 1989 to make reductions and sequestrations specified in the report required under section 251(a)(3)(A) of such Act [2 U.S.C. 901(a)(3)(A)], sections 111, 201, 204, 310, 311, 321, 322, 323, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352, 402, 403, 404, 502, 504, and 505 [amending sections 2012, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2025, and 2026 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 612c of this title] shall become effective and be implemented on
Effective Date of 1987 Amendment
Effective and Termination Dates of 1986 Amendment
The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 2018 and 2019 of this title] shall become effective, and be implemented by issuance of final regulations, not later than
Not later than
The amendments made by this section, except those amendments made by subsections (a), (b), and (c) [amending this section], shall cease to be effective after
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Except as provided in subsection (b), this subtitle [subtitle E (§§ 140–193) of title I of Pub. L. 97–253, amending this section and sections 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 1624, 2011, and 2028 of this title] and the amendments made by this subtitle shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this subtitle [
Sections 180 and 188 [amending sections 2020, 2025, 2027, and 2029 of this title] shall take effect on
Effective Date of 1981 Amendments
Notwithstanding section 117 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (7 U.S.C. 2012 note) [section 117 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out below], the amendments made by sections 101 through 114 of such Act [amending this section and sections 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2022, and 2025 of this title], other than sections 107(b) and 108(c) of such Act [amending sections 2014 and 2015 of this title], shall take effect on the earlier of the date of the enactment of this subtitle [
Notwithstanding section 1338 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (7 U.S.C. 2012 note) [section 1338 of Pub. L. 97–98, set out below], the amendments made by sections 1302 through 1333 of such Act [enacting section 2029 of this title and amending this section and sections 2014 to 2016, 2018 to 2020, and 2023 to 2027 of this title] shall take effect on the earlier of the date of the enactment of this subtitle [
Effective Date of 1979 Amendment
The provisions of sections 2 and 3 of this Act [amending this section and sections 2014 of this section] shall be implemented in all States by
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue final regulations implementing the provisions of sections 4 through 6 of this Act [amending sections 2015 and 2025 of this title] within one hundred and fifty days after the date of enactment of this Act [
The provisions of sections 7 and 8 of this Act [amending this section and section 2019 of this title] shall be implemented in all States by
Effective Date of 1977 Amendment
Effective Date of 1974 Amendment
Effective Date of 1972 Amendment
Repeals
Regulations
Issuance of rules.—
The Secretary [of Agriculture] shall issue regulations that—
establish criteria to identify a food purchasing and delivery service referred to in section 3(p)(5) [now 3(o)(5)] of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(p)(5) [now 2012(o)(5)]); and
establish procedures to ensure that the service—
does not charge more for a food item than the price paid by the service for the food item;
offers food delivery service at no or low cost to households under that Act [7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.];
ensures that benefits provided under the supplemental nutrition assistance program are used only to purchase food (as defined in section 3 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 2012));
limits the purchase of food, and the delivery of the food, to households eligible to receive services described in section 3(p)(5) [now 3(o)(5)] of that Act (7 U.S.C. 2012(p)(5) [now 2012(o)(5)]);
has established adequate safeguards against fraudulent activities, including unauthorized use of electronic benefit cards issued under that Act; and
meets such other requirements as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
Limitation.—
Before the issuance of rules under paragraph (1), the Secretary may not approve more than 20 food purchasing and delivery services referred to in section 3(p)(5) [now 3(o)(5)] of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012(p)(5) [now 2012(o)(5)]) to participate as retail food stores under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.”
Continued Eligibility
the periodic reauthorization of the establishment or route; or
such time as the eligibility of the establishment or route for continued participation in the supplemental nutrition assistance program is evaluated for any reason.”
Report on Impact on Retail Food Stores
the numbers and types of stores that were newly authorized to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program after implementation of the amendments;
the numbers and types of stores that were withdrawn from the supplemental nutrition assistance program after implementation of the amendments;
the procedures used by the Secretary, and the adequacy of the procedures used, to determine the eligibility of stores to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program and to authorize and reauthorize the stores to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program;
the adequacy of the guidance provided by the Secretary to retail food stores concerning—
the definitions of ‘retail food store’, ‘staple foods’, ‘eligible foods’, and ‘perishable foods’ for purposes of the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and
eligibility criteria for stores to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and
an assessment of whether the amendment to the definition of ‘retail food store’ under section 3(k) of such Act [subsec. (k) of this section] (as amended by section 201(1)) has had an adverse effect on the integrity of the supplemental nutrition assistance program.”