During Committee markup, Congressman Gray was able to unanimously pass two amendments to strengthen the bill. The first would allow states the flexibility to allocate up to 20% of their Emergency Food Assistance Program funding towards the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program.
I will let states allocate up to 20% of Emergency Food Assistance Program funding to the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program.
Occurrences
Provide states with the flexibility to allocate up to 20% of their Emergency Food Assistance Program funding towards the USDA Department of Defense (DOD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
Evidence
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TEFAP is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of people with low-income by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. Products include canned, frozen, dried, juiced, and fresh fruits and vegetables; protein items such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans; whole and enriched grains such as rice, flour, cereals, pasta, and tortillas; and dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese.
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The USDA Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program allows schools to use USDA Foods entitlement dollars to buy fresh produce. USDA does not impose a cap on the amount of USDA Foods entitlement used through this program and allocations may be changed on several dates throughout the year.
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The bill directs USDA to coordinate with geographically isolated states to (1) establish alternative delivery options for allocated commodities, and (2) allow for the states to order commodities through the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Under this option, USDA may distribute as cash to the state up to 20% of the cash value of the commodities that are allocated to the state under TEFAP.
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Section 214(c) of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 ... agency to use not more than 20 percent of the cost of the ... to order commodities through the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
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EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.— ... OPTION FOR PURCHASING THROUGH DOD ... more than 20 percent of the cost of the commod- ... partment of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable ...
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USDA provides 100% American-grown USDA Foods and administrative funds to states to operate TEFAP. ... See what fruits, vegetables, legumes, proteins, dairy, grains, and soups are available through TEFAP.
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USDA's Food and Nutrition Service partners with the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) Produce Business Unit to buy and distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to schools using the USDA's federal commodity entitlement dollars.
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TEFAP ... permitted each State to convert up to 20 percent of TEFAP food funds to administrative funds.
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Gray's office said he helped pass H.R. 7567 through the House and, during committee markup, unanimously passed an amendment that would allow states to allocate up to 20% of Emergency Food Assistance Program funding toward the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program.
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The House-engrossed H.R. 7567 text includes SEC. 4112(c), adding an option for states to use not more than 20 percent of TEFAP commodity allocation costs to order commodities through the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
Assessments
The promised policy has not been delivered because the record shows House passage and bill text containing the 20% TEFAP-to-DoD Fresh option, but not enactment into law or USDA implementation giving states that authority. Gray did materially advance the exact policy during his House term through committee amendment work and House passage of H.R. 7567, so this qualifies for an effort badge, but a one-chamber legislative result does not fulfill the promise.
The promise was highly specific: create authority for states to allocate up to 20% of TEFAP funding/value to the USDA DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. The evidence shows closely matching legislative text existed in the 118th Congress, especially H.R. 6203 and similar Senate language, which would have allowed states to use up to 20% in connection with DoD Fresh. That indicates a real policy push on the exact idea. But the record provided does not show the provision was enacted into law or implemented by USDA, and later 2025-2026 USDA/program materials do not confirm the authority is in effect. Because Gray campaigned in 2024 for House office and the evidence shows the idea was materially advanced in Congress during that same term window but not completed, this is best scored as partial rather than delivered. It is not full delivery because enactment is missing; it is not never because there was a serious, concrete legislative effort on the precise proposal.