To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to make breakfasts and lunches free for all children, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · May 13, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Science, Space, and Technology, 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.
The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 establishes free breakfast and lunch for all students in participating schools, eliminating reduced-price meal options and setting the federal reimbursement rate at $3.28 per breakfast adjusted annually for inflation. The bill extends free meals to child care settings and afterschool programs, prevents schools from collecting meal debt or stigmatizing students unable to pay, and expands eligibility identification through surveys and direct certification rather than income-based thresholds. It also requires free meals for incarcerated juveniles in eligible detention facilities, with the Attorney General and Secretary of Agriculture providing implementation guidance within one year. The legislation makes conforming amendments throughout the National School Lunch Act and Child Nutrition Act to reflect the universal free meals structure, while the Department of Education and Agriculture must develop identification procedures and templates within 180 days of enactment.
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