# 116-hr-8531: Food Deserts Act of 2020

116-hr-8531, Food Deserts Act of 2020, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN); status Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8531
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-8531
- Congress: 116
- Title: Food Deserts Act of 2020
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations.
- Introduced: 2020-10-06
- Sponsor: Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Agriculture and Food
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Food Deserts Act of 2020This 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 toemphasizing unprocessed, healthful foods;providing staple foods and a variety of raw fruits and vegetables;having a plan to keep the foods in stock;charging prices at or below market averages;meeting specified matching requirements using nonfederal funds; andbeing 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 tohiring workers from the underserved community,providing classes or educational information about a healthful diet,sourcing food from local urban farms and gardens,not selling alcohol or tobacco products, ordemonstrating existing supply chain relationships in the grocery industry.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2020-11-16T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 116-hr-9053: No Congressional Gun Loophole Act
- 116-hr-8994: Restoring Students’ Right to Appeal Act of 2020
- 116-hr-8898: Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2020
- 116-hr-8809: LOVE Act of 2020
- 116-hr-8791: DHS Reform Act of 2020
- 116-hr-8744: Rohingya Genocide Determination Act of 2020

## Sources
- [116-hr-8531 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8531)

## Related
- [116-hr-9053: No Congressional Gun Loophole Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-9053)
- [116-hr-8994: Restoring Students’ Right to Appeal Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8994)
- [116-hr-8898: Neglected Infections of Impoverished Americans Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8898)
- [116-hr-8809: LOVE Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8809)
- [116-hr-8791: DHS Reform Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8791)
- [116-hr-8744: Rohingya Genocide Determination Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8744)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8531 (as of 2025-11-18).