Salad Bars in Schools Expansion Act

Bill Number

H.R. 739

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-01-24: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Last Updated

2025-07-21T19:44:15Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Salad Bars in Schools Expansion Act aims to promote healthier school meals by expanding the use of salad bars in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. It seeks to increase children's consumption of fruits and vegetables, addressing issues like childhood obesity and poor eating habits, based on findings that one-third of U.S. school-aged children are overweight or obese, and salad bars effectively encourage healthier choices.

Key Provisions

• Findings: The bill outlines congressional findings, including statistics on childhood obesity, participation in the National School Lunch Program (over 30 million children daily, 70% eligible for free or reduced-price meals), the health benefits of more fruits and vegetables, and the effectiveness of salad bars in meeting nutrition standards (e.g., requiring at least half a cup of fruits or vegetables per lunch).
• Marketing and Communications Plan: Within 90 days of enactment, the Secretary of Agriculture must create and implement a plan to promote salad bars in schools.
• Training and Technical Assistance: The Secretary must provide support to schools and school food authorities (entities managing school meals), including webinars, workshops, resources, nutrition education, and strategies for parent involvement and partnerships.
• Grant Program: Establishes a competitive grant program for eligible entities (schools or school food authorities) to fund one-time payments for installing salad bars, covering costs like durable equipment (e.g., food preparation or serving items valued over $500).
• Applications require submission of required information.
• Priority for entities serving schools where at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, schools in "food deserts" (low-income areas with limited access to healthy food stores), or those offering nutrition education.
• The program ends 5 years after enactment.
• Grantees must submit evaluations of the program's impact.
• Report to Congress: Within 1 year of enactment, the Secretary must report to relevant House and Senate committees on recommendations for more salad bars, the current number of schools with salad bars nationwide, new installations from the plan, and grantee evaluations.
• Guidance Revision: Within 90 days after the report, the Secretary must update the 2013 policy memorandum on salad bars in the National School Lunch Program based on the report's recommendations.
• Funding Limitation: No new funds are authorized; implementation uses existing appropriations for the National School Lunch Program.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (which governs the National School Lunch Program) by adding a new subsection (l). It introduces a structured promotion plan, training, a temporary grant program, reporting requirements, and guidance updates specifically for salad bars—none of which were previously mandated. It builds on existing nutrition standards (e.g., requiring daily fruits and vegetables) but does not alter core program eligibility or reimbursements.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will face administrative burdens to develop the plan, deliver training, manage grants, and produce reports/evaluations within tight timelines (e.g., 90 days for the plan), all without additional funding, potentially straining existing resources.
• Citizens: Schoolchildren, especially low-income students and those in underserved areas, may benefit from increased access to diverse fruits and vegetables, potentially improving long-term health and eating habits. Schools could see easier compliance with nutrition rules, fostering wellness environments.
• International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic school nutrition.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Schools and School Food Authorities: Primary recipients of grants, training, and resources to install and maintain salad bars.
• Students and Families: Especially low-income children (eligible for free/reduced-price meals) and those in food deserts, who gain better access to healthy options and nutrition education.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Responsible for implementation, oversight, and reporting.
• Congressional Committees: House Committee on Education and the Workforce, House Committee on Agriculture, and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which receive reports and may influence future expansions.
• Parents and Community Partners: Involved through engagement strategies, potentially aiding program success.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The bill operates within Congress's authority under the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution to regulate and fund school nutrition programs. It includes clear definitions (e.g., "food desert" as low-access, low-income areas) to guide implementation and reduce ambiguity in grant priorities. The 5-year grant termination provides a sunset clause, limiting long-term commitments.
• Constitutional: No apparent challenges; it promotes public health without infringing on individual rights or state powers, as school meal programs are voluntary federal-state partnerships.
• Political: As a targeted health initiative without new spending, it could garner bipartisan support by addressing childhood obesity—a non-partisan issue—while prioritizing equity for disadvantaged communities. The reliance on existing funds avoids budget debates but may limit scale if resources are insufficient.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

Recent Actions

• 2025-01-24: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
• 2025-01-24: Introduced in House
• 2025-01-24: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Salad Bars in Schools Expansion Act — issued 2025-01-24 — PDF (7 pages)