H.R. 4451

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4451 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4451

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to enhance 
direct certification under the school lunch program.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 16, 2025

Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Mr. Bacon, and Ms. Ross) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to enhance 
direct certification under the school lunch program.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Caregivers, Access, and Responsible 
Expansion for Kids Act of 2025'' or the ``CARE for Kids Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. ENHANCING DIRECT CERTIFICATION.

Section 9(b)(5) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(5)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting 
``(including any school operated by the Bureau of Indian 
Education)'' before ``may certify''; and
(2) in subparagraph (E)--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(B) in clause (ii)--
(i) by striking ``who'' and inserting 
``whom''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and 
inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) a child whose placement with a 
caregiver was carried out with the involvement 
of an agency that administers a State plan 
under part B or E of title IV of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or a 
tribal child welfare agency, without regard to 
whether the agency is responsible for the care 
and placement of the child;
``(iv) a child for whom an adoption 
assistance payment is made under section 473(a) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673(a)) 
or under a similar State-funded or State-
operated program, as determined by the 
Secretary;
``(v) a child for whom a kinship 
guardianship assistance payment is made under 
section 473(d) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 673(d)) or under a similar State-funded 
or State-operated program, as determined by the 
Secretary, without regard to whether the child 
was previously in foster care; or
``(vi) a child of a family that--
``(I) lives in housing dedicated to 
low-income families with a caregiver 
who is a grandparent or another older 
person that cares for the child full-
time; or
``(II) receives housing or housing 
assistance under the Native American 
Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 
4101 et seq.).''.

SEC. 3. EXTENDED ELIGIBILITY.

Section 9(b)(9) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(9)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D);
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
``(C) Eligibility of transferred children.--
``(i) Definition of covered child.--In this 
subparagraph, the term `covered child' means a 
child that--
``(I) has been determined eligible 
for free or reduced price meals under 
this Act by a local educational agency 
(referred to in this subparagraph as 
the `original local educational 
agency'); and
``(II) transfers to another school 
that is under the jurisdiction of a 
different local educational agency 
(referred to in this subparagraph as 
the `new local educational agency').
``(ii) Eligibility.--An eligibility 
determination made by an original local 
educational agency with respect to a covered 
child shall be transferred to, and honored by, 
the new local educational agency, including the 
period for which that determination was 
authorized, subject to an extension under 
clause (iii).
``(iii) Extension of duration.--A new local 
educational agency shall honor the eligibility 
determination for a covered child under clause 
(ii) for a period that is 1 year longer than 
the period for which that determination was 
authorized by the original local educational 
agency if the covered child began living with a 
caregiver--
``(I) in the 12-month period 
preceding the date on which the covered 
child is enrolled in a school under the 
jurisdiction of a new local educational 
agency; and
``(II) who is--
``(aa) a grandparent or 
other relative and has legal 
authority to secure services 
for the child through an 
educational or healthcare 
consent affidavit, power of 
attorney, or other legal 
documentation; or
``(bb) a grandparent or 
other relative and has legal 
custody of the child or has 
commenced the process of 
seeking legal custody of the 
child in a court of law.''; and
(3) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated)--
(A) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as 
subclauses (I) and (II), respectively, and indenting 
appropriately;
(B) in the matter preceding subclause (I) (as so 
redesignated), by striking ``Except as'' and all that 
follows through ``(3)(H)(ii)'' and inserting the 
following:
``(i) In general.--Except as otherwise 
specified in clause (ii), subparagraph (C), 
subparagraphs (E) and (H)(ii) of paragraph 
(3)''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(ii) Extension for certain children.--A 
school food authority shall extend the 
eligibility determination made by a local 
educational agency with respect to a child for 
a period that is 1 year longer than the period 
for which that determination was authorized by 
the local educational agency, if the child 
began living with a caregiver--
``(I) in the 12-month period 
preceding the date on which the covered 
child is enrolled in the new school; 
and
``(II) who is--
``(aa) a grandparent or 
other relative and has legal 
authority to secure services 
for the child through an 
educational or healthcare 
consent affidavit, power of 
attorney, or other legal 
documentation; or
``(bb) a grandparent or 
other relative and has legal 
custody of the child or has 
commenced the process of 
seeking legal custody of the 
child in a court of law.''.

SEC. 4. EXPANDING AUTOMATIC ELIGIBILITY.

(a) In General.--Section 9(b)(12)(A) of the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(12)(A)) is amended--
(1) by conforming the margins of clauses (iv) through (vii) 
to the margin of clause (iii); and
(2) in clause (vii)--
(A) in subclause (I), by striking ``or'' at the 
end;
(B) in subclause (II)--
(i) by striking ``who'' and inserting 
``whom''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and 
inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(III) a child whose placement 
with a caregiver was carried out with 
the involvement of an agency that 
administers a State plan under part B 
or E of title IV of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or a tribal 
child welfare agency, without regard to 
whether the agency is responsible for 
the care and placement of the child;
``(IV) a child for whom an adoption 
assistance payment is made under 
section 473(a) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 673(a)) or under a 
similar State-funded or State-operated 
program, as determined by the 
Secretary;
``(V) a child for whom a kinship 
guardianship assistance payment is made 
under section 473(d) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673(d)) or 
under a similar State-funded or State-
operated program, as determined by the 
Secretary, without regard to whether 
the child was previously in foster 
care; or
``(VI) a child of a family that--
``(aa) lives in housing 
dedicated to low-income 
families with a caregiver who 
is a grandparent or another 
older person that cares for the 
child full-time; or
``(bb) receives housing or 
housing assistance under the 
Native American Housing 
Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 
U.S.C. 4101 et seq.).''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 9(d)(2) of the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(d)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``clauses (iv) or 
(v)'' and inserting ``clauses (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), or 
(vii)'';
(2) in subparagraph (E), by adding ``or'' at the end;
(3) by striking subparagraph (F); and
(4) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (F) 
and conforming the margin of subparagraph (F) (as so 
redesignated) appropriately.

SEC. 5. MEDICAID DIRECT CERTIFICATION.

Section 9(b)(15)(A)(i) of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(15)(A)(i)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking 
``The term'' and inserting the following:
``(I) In general.--The term'';
(2) in subclause (I), by redesignating items (aa) and (bb) 
as subitems (AA) and (BB), respectively;
(3) by redesignating subclauses (I) and (II) as items (aa) 
and (bb), respectively;
(4) in item (bb), as so redesignated, by striking 
``regulations) with a child described in subclause (I)'' and 
inserting ``regulations)) with a child described in item 
(aa)''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(II) Other children.--The term `eligible 
child' includes a child that receives medical 
assistance under the Medicaid program--
``(aa) under subclause (I) of 
section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)) on the basis of 
receiving aid or assistance under the 
State plan approved under part E of 
title IV of that Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et 
seq.) or by reason of section 473(b) of 
that Act (42 U.S.C. 673(b)); or
``(bb) under subclause (II) of 
section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i) of that Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)) on the 
basis of receiving supplemental 
security income benefits.''.
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