H.R. 5867

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5867 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5867

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish 
a pilot grant program to make grants to school food authorities to 
provide 100 percent plant-based food and milk options, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 28, 2025

Ms. Velazquez (for herself, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. 
Norton, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Simon, Ms. Adams, Mr. Lieu, Mrs. McBath, and 
Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania) 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 establish 
a pilot grant program to make grants to school food authorities to 
provide 100 percent plant-based food and milk options, and for other 
purposes.

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 ``Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PLANT-BASED FOODS IN SCHOOLS.

Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1769) is amended by adding after subsection (c) the following:
``(d) Pilot Grant Program for 100 Percent Plant-Based Food 
Options.--
``(1) Program authorized.--The Secretary shall establish 
and carry out a pilot grant program to award grants to eligible 
school food authorities to carry out the activities described 
in paragraph (4).
``(2) In general.--
``(A) Term.--The term of a grant awarded under this 
subsection shall be 3 years.
``(B) Grant amount.--In awarding grants under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall, to the extent 
practicable, award grants of diverse amounts.
``(3) Application.--
``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this subsection, an eligible school food 
authority shall submit to the Secretary an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require, including--
``(i) a participatory evaluation plan; and
``(ii) a plan for providing culturally 
appropriate meals.
``(B) Priority.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
in awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary 
shall give priority to an eligible school food 
authority that will use the grant funds to--
``(i) serve a high proportion of children 
who are eligible for free or reduced price 
meals;
``(ii) demonstrate collaboration with 
nongovernmental and community-based 
organizations, agricultural producers, and 
other community partners with respect to the 
activities described in paragraph (4);
``(iii) incorporate experiential and 
culturally appropriate plant-based food, 
nutrition, or agricultural education activities 
related to 100 percent plant-based food options 
in the classroom;
``(iv) incorporate organically produced 100 
percent plant-based food options; and
``(v) meet any other criteria that the 
Secretary determines appropriate.
``(4) Use of funds.--A grant awarded under this subsection 
may be used for any of the following activities:
``(A) To contract with qualified third parties for 
professional development training for food service 
personnel on serving (including preparing, procuring, 
marketing, and creating menus) 100 percent plant-based 
food options.
``(B) To provide compensation, for each employee 
who participates in the professional development 
training described in subparagraph (A), at the regular 
rate of pay of such employee.
``(C) To provide technical assistance and student 
engagement and education on 100 percent plant-based 
food options, including providing taste tests, recipe 
development, and culinary education.
``(D) To provide compensation for additional work 
relating to serving meals that include a 100 percent 
plant-based food option.
``(E) To conduct outreach to, and cover costs of 
procurement of foods from, agricultural producers of 
100 percent plant-based food options, including--
``(i) underserved producers;
``(ii) limited resource farmers or 
ranchers, as defined by the Secretary;
``(iii) producers on a certified organic 
farm; and
``(iv) local farmers.
``(5) Reports.--
``(A) Recordkeeping required.--Each eligible school 
food authority awarded a grant under this subsection 
shall keep records of the 100 percent plant-based food 
options served pursuant to this subsection as the 
Secretary determines appropriate.
``(B) Report required by school food authorities.--
Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under 
this subsection, and annually for the duration of the 
grant term described in paragraph (2)(A), a school food 
authority shall submit to the Secretary a report on the 
pilot grant program, including information on--
``(i) the number of 100 percent plant-based 
food options that the school food authority 
served during the grant period compared with 
the preceding school year;
``(ii) the number of schools served by the 
school food authority pursuant to the grant;
``(iii) the number of students served by 
the school food authority pursuant to the 
grant; and
``(iv) how the school food authority used 
the grant funds.
``(C) Report by secretary.--With respect to each 
school year during which the Secretary receives the 
report required under subparagraph (B), the Secretary 
shall, not later than 1 year after the date that is the 
last day of such school year, submit to Congress a 
report that includes--
``(i) a summary of the reports received 
during such school year; and
``(ii) such information with respect to the 
pilot program as the Secretary determines to be 
relevant.
``(6) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide 
technical assistance and information to assist school food 
authorities--
``(A) to facilitate the coordination and sharing of 
information and resources that may be applicable to the 
activities described in paragraph (4); and
``(B) to collect and share information on best 
practices.
``(7) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2026, to remain available through fiscal year 2030.
``(8) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) 100 percent plant-based food option.--The 
term `100 percent plant-based food option' means a 
breakfast or lunch meal option or component that--
``(i) includes a meat alternate as 
described in--
``(I) section 210.10 of title 7, 
Code of Federal Regulations (or 
successor regulations); or
``(II) appendix A to part 210 of 7, 
Code of Federal Regulations (or 
successor regulations); and
``(ii) does not contain any animal products 
or byproducts, such as meat, poultry, honey, 
fish, dairy, or eggs.
``(B) Beginning farmer or rancher.--The term 
`beginning farmer or rancher' has the meaning given 
such term in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)).
``(C) Eligible school food authority.--The term 
`eligible school food authority' means a school food 
authority for which 50 percent or more of the students 
served by such school food authority are eligible for 
free or reduced price lunch under this Act or free or 
reduced price breakfast under section 4 of the Child 
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).
``(D) Food, agriculture, conservation, and trade 
act terms.--The terms `certified organic farm', 
`organically produced', and `producer' have the 
meanings given such terms in section 2103 of the Food, 
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 
U.S.C. 6502).
``(E) Underserved producer.--The term `underserved 
producer' means an individual (including a member of an 
Indian Tribe) that is--
``(i) a beginning farmer or rancher;
``(ii) a veteran farmer or rancher; or
``(iii) a socially disadvantaged farmer or 
rancher.
``(F) Veteran farmer or rancher.--The term `veteran 
farmer or rancher' has the meaning given such term in 
section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a)).''.

SEC. 3. ACCOMMODATING DIETARY REQUIREMENTS.

Section 9(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1758(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by amending clause (i) to 
read as follows:
``(i) shall not--
``(I) be construed to prohibit the 
substitution of foods to accommodate 
the medical needs of individual 
students; or
``(II) be construed to prohibit the 
nutritionally equivalent substitution 
of foods to accommodate religiously 
based or other special dietary needs of 
individual students; and''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``lower-fat 
versions of foods commonly used in the school lunch 
program under this Act'' and inserting ``foods that 
comply with the meal patterns prescribed by the 
Secretary''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by amending subparagraph (A)(iii) to read as 
follows:
``(iii) shall provide, as a reasonable 
accommodation under the Americans with 
Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and 
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(29 U.S.C. 794), a substitute for fluid milk 
for a student whose disability restricts their 
diet.''; and
(B) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as 
follows:
``(B) Other substitutions.--
``(i) Standards for required 
substitution.--
``(I) Medical or other special 
dietary need.--With respect to a 
student for whom fluid milk is not 
nutritionally appropriate due to a 
medical or other special dietary need 
other than a disability described in 
subparagraph (A)(iii), a school shall 
substitute, for the fluid milk provided 
under subparagraph (A), a nondairy 
beverage that meets the nutritional 
needs of such student.
``(II) Written request for 
substitution.--A school shall 
substitute, for the fluid milk provided 
under subparagraph (A), a nondairy 
beverage that is nutritionally 
equivalent to fluid milk and meets 
nutritional standards established by 
the Secretary if the student, or parent 
or legal guardian of such student, 
submits a written request for such 
substitution.
``(ii) Standards for discretionary 
substitution.--A school may offer each student 
a nondairy beverage as a substitute for fluid 
milk that is nutritionally equivalent to fluid 
milk and meets nutritional standards 
established by the Secretary.
``(iii) Excess expenses.--Except as 
provided under clause (iv), expenses incurred 
by providing substitutions under clauses (i) 
and (ii) that are in excess of expenses covered 
by reimbursements under this Act shall be paid 
by the school food authority.
``(iv) Pilot program.--
``(I) Program authorized.--Not 
later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this subparagraph, the 
Secretary shall establish and carry out 
a pilot grant program to award grants 
to eligible school food authorities to 
carry out subclause (III).
``(II) Priority.--In awarding 
grants under this clause, the Secretary 
may give priority to--
``(aa) an eligible school 
food authority that serves high 
proportions of students with 
high rates of lactose 
intolerance; and
``(bb) an eligible school 
food authority that 
demonstrates, as part of the 
application for a grant under 
this clause, a need for 
nondairy beverages for students 
served by such school food 
authority due to dietary 
reasons.
``(III) Use of funds.--A school 
food authority shall use grant funds 
awarded under this clause to reimburse 
the full cost of providing nondairy 
beverages as substitutes for fluid milk 
under clause (i)(I) incurred by such 
school food authority.
``(IV) Reports.--
``(aa) Annual report by 
school food authority.--Not 
later than 1 year after 
receiving a grant under this 
clause, and on an annual basis 
for the duration of the pilot 
program thereafter, a school 
food authority shall submit to 
the Secretary a report on the 
pilot grant program, including 
information with respect to--

``(AA) the number 
of schools served by 
the school food 
authority pursuant to 
the grant; and

``(BB) the number 
of students served by 
the school food 
authority pursuant to 
the grant.

``(bb) Final report by 
school food authority.--The 
report that is the final report 
submitted under item (aa) shall 
include, in addition to the 
information required under 
subitems (AA) and (BB) of such 
item--

``(AA) the number 
of nondairy beverages 
as substitutes for 
fluid milk that the 
school food authority 
served during the grant 
period; compared with

``(BB) the number 
of nondairy beverages 
as substitutes for 
fluid milk that the 
school food authority 
served during the 
school year immediately 
preceding the start of 
the grant period.

``(cc) Report by the 
secretary.--Not later than 6 
months after the date described 
in subclause (V), the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a 
report that includes a summary 
of the information included in 
the reports received under this 
subclause and any such 
information with respect to the 
pilot program the Secretary 
determines to be relevant.
``(V) Sunset.--The authority to 
carry out this clause shall terminate 
on the date that is 3 years after the 
date of the enactment of this 
subparagraph.
``(VI) Eligible school food 
authority defined.--In this clause, the 
term `eligible school food authority' 
means a school food authority for which 
at least 50 percent of the students 
served by such school food authority 
are eligible for free or reduced price 
lunch under this Act or free or reduced 
price breakfast under section 4 of the 
Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1773).
``(VII) Authorization of 
appropriations.--There is authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this 
clause $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, 
to remain available until the date 
described in subclause (V).''.
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