H.R. 7542

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7542 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7542

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to make 
lunches free for all children and to reimburse school meal delinquent 
debt, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 12, 2026

Mr. Krishnamoorthi 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 make 
lunches free for all children and to reimburse school meal delinquent 
debt, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Kids Need Lunch 
Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Effective date.
TITLE I--FREE LUNCHES

Sec. 101. Apportionment to States.
Sec. 102. Nutritional and other program requirements.
Sec. 103. Price for a paid lunch.
TITLE II--ADDRESSING SCHOOL MEAL DEBT

Sec. 201. Reimbursement of school meal delinquent debt program.
Sec. 202. No collection of debt.

SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

Unless otherwise provided, this Act, and the amendments made by 
this Act, shall take effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act.

TITLE I--FREE LUNCHES

SEC. 101. APPORTIONMENT TO STATES.

Section 4(b) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1753(b)) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
``(2) Payment amounts.--
``(A) In general.--The national average payment for 
each free lunch shall be $4.86, adjusted annually for 
inflation in accordance with subparagraph (B) and 
rounded in accordance with subparagraph (C).
``(B) Inflation adjustment.--
``(i) In general.--The annual inflation 
adjustment under subparagraph (A) shall reflect 
changes in the cost of operating the free lunch 
program under this Act, as indicated by the 
change in the Consumer Price Index for food 
away from home for all urban consumers.
``(ii) Basis.--Each annual inflation 
adjustment under subparagraph (A) shall reflect 
the changes in the Consumer Price Index for 
food away from home for the most recent 12-
month period for which that data is available.
``(C) Rounding.--On July 1, 2027, and annually 
thereafter, the national average payment rate for free 
lunch shall be--
``(i) adjusted to the nearest lower-cent 
increment; and
``(ii) based on the unrounded amounts for 
the preceding 12-month period.''; and
(2) by striking paragraph (3).

SEC. 102. NUTRITIONAL AND OTHER PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Elimination of Free Lunch Eligibility Requirements.--
(1) In general.--Section 9(b) of the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)) is amended to 
read as follows:
``(b) Free Lunches.--All children enrolled in a school that 
participates in the school lunch program under this Act shall be 
eligible to receive free lunch under this Act.''.
(2) Provisions applicable to free and reduced price 
breakfasts.--In the case of free or reduced price school 
breakfasts under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1771), subsection (b) of section 9 of the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758), as in effect on the 
day before the date of the enactment of this Act, shall apply.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758) is amended--
(A) in subsection (c), in the third sentence, by 
striking ``or at a reduced cost''; and
(B) in subsection (e), by striking ``, reduced 
price,''.
(2) Paragraph (2) of section 11(a) of the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1759a(a)) is 
repealed.
(3) Clauses (i) and (ii) of section 11(a)(3)(A) of the 
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
1759a(a)(3)(A)) are repealed.
(4) Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769i) is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (b); and
(B) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection 
(b).

SEC. 103. PRICE FOR A PAID LUNCH.

Section 12 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1760) is amended--
(1) in subsection (l)(4)--
(A) by striking subparagraph (D); and
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) through (M) 
as subparagraphs (D) through (L), respectively;
(2) by striking subsection (p); and
(3) by redesignating subsections (q) and (r) as subsections 
(p) and (q), respectively.

TITLE II--ADDRESSING SCHOOL MEAL DEBT

SEC. 201. REIMBURSEMENT OF SCHOOL MEAL DELINQUENT DEBT PROGRAM.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Delinquent debt.--The term ``delinquent debt'' means 
the debt owed by a parent or guardian of a child to a school--
(A) as of the effective date specified in section 
2; and
(B) for meals served by the school under the school 
lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
(2) Program.--The term ``program'' means the program 
established under subsection (b)(1).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Agriculture.
(b) Reimbursement Program.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the 
effective date specified in section 2, the Secretary shall 
establish a program under which the Secretary shall reimburse 
each school participating in the school lunch program 
established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) for all delinquent debt.
(2) Form for reimbursement.--To carry out the program, the 
Secretary shall design and distribute a form to State agencies 
to collect data on all delinquent debt in applicable schools in 
the State, grouped by school food authority.
(3) Completion date.--The Secretary shall provide all 
reimbursements under the program not later than 180 days after 
the effective date specified in section 2.
(c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the effective date 
specified in section 2, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a report that 
describes the successes and challenges of the program.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 202. NO COLLECTION OF DEBT.

(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of the Richard 
B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or any 
other provision of law, effective beginning on the date of enactment of 
this Act, as a condition of participation in the school lunch program 
under that Act, a school--
(1) shall not collect any debt owed to the school for 
unpaid lunch charges; and
(2) shall continue to accrue debt for unpaid lunch 
charges--
(A) for the purpose of receiving reimbursement 
under section 201; and
(B) until the effective date specified in section 
2.
(b) National School Lunch Act Amendment.--Section 9 of the Richard 
B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758) is amended by 
striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) No Collection of Debt.--A school participating in the school 
lunch program under this Act shall not collect any debt owed to the 
school for unpaid lunch charges.''.
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