To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Administrator of the Internal Revenue Service to verify income for purposes of determining the eligibility of persons for certain Department of Agriculture payments and benefits, and for other purposes.

Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 19, 2009

Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to deny certain agricultural commodity payments for not less than five years, or permanently, to a person or legal entity that has knowingly engaged in, or aided in the creation of a fraudulent document, or failed to disclose material information relevant to the administration of such benefits. (Current law authorizes payment denial for up to five crop years.)

Requires that a person or legal entity that received benefits while ineligible due to excess income repay such amounts fully.

Directs the Secretary to request the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to verify the income-related eligibility of a benefit applicant, and deny benefits to a person or entity determined to be ineligible. Authorizes Farm Service Agency reconsideration of a denial.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3] · D–WI

Committees

Agriculture Committee
Ways and Means Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Rep. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ-6]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Apr 23, 2009
Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.
Mar 19, 2009
Referred to House Ways and Means
Mar 19, 2009
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Mar 19, 2009
Referred to House Agriculture
Mar 19, 2009
Introduced in House
Mar 19, 2009
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Mar 19, 2009 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Jan 2, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.1609 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1609, 111th Congress: To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Administrator of the Internal Revenue Service to verify income for purposes of determining the eligibility of persons for certain Department of Agriculture payments and benefits, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/1609

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-03-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr1609/BILLS-111hr1609ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T16:23:51Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.1609 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.1609 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1609, 111th Congress: To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Administrator of the Internal Revenue Service to verify income for purposes of determining the eligibility of persons for certain Department of Agriculture payments and benefits, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/1609

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-03-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr1609/BILLS-111hr1609ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T16:23:51Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1609 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.1609 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1609, 111th Congress: To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Administrator of the Internal Revenue Service to verify income for purposes of determining the eligibility of persons for certain Department of Agriculture payments and benefits, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/1609

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-03-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr1609/BILLS-111hr1609ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T16:23:51Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1609 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.1609 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.1609, 111th Congress: To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Administrator of the Internal Revenue Service to verify income for purposes of determining the eligibility of persons for certain Department of Agriculture payments and benefits, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/1609

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2009-03-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/hr1609/BILLS-111hr1609ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T16:23:51Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.1609 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.