If enacted, the TEAM Act would foster a strategic effort to implement best practices for ensuring that older individuals and adults with disabilities gain access to healthy, affordable, and preferably local or regional food sources. This includes promoting innovative solutions to food insecurity through demonstrative projects and evaluations extended through fiscal years 2024 to 2028, with an authorized appropriation of up to $5 million annually for these efforts. Such financial backing aims to drive research and sustain the collaborative program's effectiveness.
Summary
SB2360, known as the Tools for Ensuring Access to Meals Act or TEAM Act, aims to establish an Interagency Collaborative and Innovation Pilot Program specifically designed to address hunger and promote access to healthy food among older adults and adults with disabilities. The bill seeks to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to create a framework that allows for enhanced collaboration between various federal agencies with the goal of tackling food insecurity in these vulnerable populations. This initiative is crucial in an era where food access remains a significant challenge for many seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Contention
While the overarching goal of SB2360 is to alleviate hunger among older and disabled populations, potential points of contention may arise regarding the implementation of the interagency collaborative efforts. Debates could center around which federal agencies will take the lead, the allocation of resources, and the measuring of success for the innovative practices introduced. Additionally, discussions could emerge on the balance between state-level independence in addressing local food insecurity issues and the central direction offered by federal guidelines.