Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 4518
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-01T16:03:27Z
AI-Generated Summary
Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation aims to provide free breakfasts and lunches to all children enrolled in participating schools by amending the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
Key Provisions
- Free Meals for All: Requires schools to offer breakfasts and lunches at no cost to every enrolled child, with national average payment rates set at $3.28 per free breakfast and $5.42 per free lunch (adjusted annually for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index for food away from home).
- Additional Reimbursements: Schools receive extra payments for using locally sourced farm products in at least 25% of meals served.
- Debt Relief: Establishes a program to reimburse schools for prior unpaid meal debts and prohibits future collection of such debts.
- Program Expansions: Extends free meal access to summer food service programs, afterschool care, child and adult care food programs, and certain pilot projects, with updated eligibility based on economically disadvantaged status rather than prior income criteria.
- Poverty Measurement Updates: Revises how schools identify low-income students under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, allowing use of surveys, direct certification data, or a combination, with privacy protections for individual information.
- Conforming Changes: Updates references in other laws, including the Higher Education Act, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, replacing terms like "free or reduced price" with measures of economically disadvantaged students.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Repeals the special assistance program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, which previously provided higher reimbursements for schools serving many low-income children.
- Eliminates reduced-price meal options and related eligibility requirements across school meal programs.
- Modifies summer programs to allow waivers of requirements that limit access and sets payment limits at no more than 3 meals and 1 supplement per child per day.
- Updates direct certification processes and transitions data collection methods for identifying economically disadvantaged students.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases federal reimbursements to states and schools through the Department of Agriculture; requires new forms for debt data collection and reports on program outcomes within 2 years.
- On Citizens: Ensures all schoolchildren receive meals without charge or stigma, potentially reducing household food costs and simplifying school operations.
- On Schools and Local Agencies: Shifts funding from means-tested to universal models, with adjustments for local food sourcing; affects record-keeping for poverty measures.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Schools and school food authorities.
- State educational agencies.
- Children and families.
- The Department of Agriculture.
- Local educational agencies using updated poverty data.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Introduces new survey templates and transition rules for data privacy and verification, aligned with prior standards from September 30, 2022.
- Requires guidance from the Attorney General for applying meal reimbursements in juvenile detention centers.
- Repeals or amends multiple sections of existing statutes to remove references to reduced-price meals, potentially affecting compliance and reporting across education and nutrition programs.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (19)
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ], Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-05-13: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-13 — PDF (48 pages)