MEALS Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 3700

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-06-04: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Last Updated

2025-07-21T19:44:15Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Mitigating Electronic Access Losses for Students Act of 2025 (MEALS Act) aims to protect summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits—electronic payments that provide nutrition assistance to low-income children during summer months when school meals are unavailable—from theft through methods like card skimming (illegal copying of card data) or cloning. It requires prevention measures and replacement of stolen benefits to ensure families can access these supports without loss due to fraud.

Key Provisions

• Guidance and Regulations on Security:
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary must issue ongoing guidance to state agencies and participating Indian Tribal organizations on effective, industry-standard security measures to detect and prevent benefit theft, considering costs and implementation feasibility.
• Within one year of enactment, the Secretary must create rules requiring these agencies to adopt the security measures and establish procedures for replacing stolen benefits.

• Coordination and Reporting:
• The Secretary must collaborate with federal agencies (like the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Justice), state agencies, Tribal organizations, retailers, and EBT system contractors to:
• Identify theft methods, usage patterns, and locations.
• Develop prevention tools, such as equipment upgrades at stores.
• Set up standardized data reporting on theft scope.
• Within two years, the Secretary submits a report to Congress detailing theft frequency, prevention actions, industry standards, state plans, and future steps.

• Replacement of Stolen Benefits:
• Participating state agencies and Tribal organizations must replace stolen summer EBT benefits using USDA funds, but only for verified thefts via skimming, cloning, or similar fraud.
• Agencies must include detailed replacement plans in their operational submissions, covering:
• Timely claim submission and validation (e.g., signed statements from affected families, electronic options allowed).
• Documentation, data reporting to USDA, appeal rights for denied claims.
• Reporting theft frequency and handling cases where cards hold multiple benefits (e.g., separating summer EBT from SNAP—Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—funds).
• Replacements are capped at the stolen amount (for the current year, not previously replaced) or the household's prior summer EBT allotment, whichever is less.
• Current program participants must submit an initial plan within 60 days of enactment and implement it after USDA approval.

• Independent Review:
• Within two years, the Government Accountability Office (Comptroller General) must report to Congress on summer EBT security risks, comparing USDA and state practices to industry standards, assessing oversight, and recommending improvements for risk management and sharing best practices.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends Section 13A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (which governs summer EBT programs) by adding a new subsection (h) on fraud prevention and benefit replacement.
• Introduces mandatory security requirements and replacement procedures, which were not previously required; prior law focused on program administration but lacked specific anti-theft mandates or funding for replacements.
• Shifts some administrative burden to states and Tribes by requiring plan approvals and data sharing, while providing federal funding and guidance to support compliance.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: Increases USDA workload for guidance, rulemaking, coordination, and reporting; states and Tribal organizations face new planning, implementation, and reporting duties, potentially raising administrative costs but offset by federal funds for replacements.
• On Citizens: Low-income families with children eligible for summer EBT gain better protection against theft losses, improving food access and reducing financial hardship; however, they must submit claims and navigate appeals, which could be challenging without support.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as this is a domestic nutrition program.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Federal Government: USDA (leads implementation and funding); Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Justice (for coordination on fraud).
• State and Local Entities: State agencies and Indian Tribal organizations administering summer EBT (must adopt security and replacement processes).
• Eligible Households: Low-income families with school-aged children receiving summer nutrition benefits (benefit from theft prevention and replacements).
• Private Sector: Retailers (e.g., grocery stores) and EBT contractors (must enhance equipment and report data to prevent fraud).
• Oversight Bodies: Congress (receives reports); Government Accountability Office (conducts security review).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Establishes enforceable regulations via notice-and-comment rulemaking (a standard federal process for public input on rules), ensuring procedures align with existing laws like the Food and Nutrition Act for claims and signatures. Includes appeal rights, promoting due process for families.
• Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; supports equal protection by aiding vulnerable populations without infringing on rights, and uses appropriated funds appropriately under spending clause authority.
• Political: Enhances food security for children, potentially reducing hunger gaps, but may spark debates on federal spending (uses existing program funds) and state burdens. Bipartisan introduction signals broad support for anti-fraud measures in child nutrition programs.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

Recent Actions

• 2025-06-04: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
• 2025-06-04: Introduced in House
• 2025-06-04: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Mitigating Electronic Access Losses for Students Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-04 — PDF (12 pages)