Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9587
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-07-02: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T08:53:25Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to expand access to the summer food service program for children by removing certain restrictions on meal service and eligibility.
Key Provisions
- Eligibility and Service Flexibility: All children become eligible to participate, and meals may be provided for noncongregate consumption (meals not required to be eaten together at a central site).
- Reimbursement Changes: Federal payments cover meals served to all children, removing prior limits tied to specific participant groups.
- Monitoring Options: Service institutions may conduct food service monitoring either onsite or offsite.
- State Responsibilities: States must identify areas lacking congregate meal service that could benefit most from noncongregate options and encourage providers to offer such meals.
- Regulatory Requirements: The Secretary of Agriculture must issue regulations (including interim final rules) within one year to ensure meal integrity and incorporate lessons from prior demonstration projects.
- Conforming Changes: Certain existing payment and eligibility rules are streamlined or removed.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Shifts from area-based eligibility to universal eligibility for all children.
- Permanently authorizes noncongregate meal service starting the first summer after enactment, replacing temporary or demonstration-based approaches.
- Eliminates multiple prior subparagraphs governing noncongregate rules and adjusts monitoring and payment provisions.
- Updates regulations in Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations to align with these amendments.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop new rules and states to adjust program administration and prioritization efforts.
- Citizens: Increases potential access to summer meals for children in areas without traditional group dining sites.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
- Program Operations: Expands flexibility for service providers while adding integrity safeguards.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Children and families seeking summer nutrition support.
- Summer food service institutions, including schools and community organizations.
- State education and agriculture agencies responsible for program oversight.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the underlying act.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Involves federal nutrition assistance authority under existing spending programs, with no apparent constitutional challenges noted in the text.
- Requires timely regulatory action to implement changes, potentially affecting administrative procedures for program integrity.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-07-02: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2026-07-02: Introduced in House
- 2026-07-02: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Summer Meals Reaching Every Area’s Child Hunger Act of 2026 — issued 2026-07-02 — PDF (5 pages)