Sponsors (8)
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Amends Section 17(f)(2) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act by replacing disbursement text, imposing limits on the number of reimbursable meals/supplements per child per day, and adding a requirement for a study, report to Congress, and guidance to program operators regarding third-meal reimbursement.
In subsection (a), paragraph (2)(F): strike "subsection (t)" and insert "subsection (s)".
Replaces each occurrence of the existing reference in 42 U.S.C. 1766(f)(3)(A) with the phrase "Consumer Price Index for food away from home".
Adds new subparagraph (F) to 42 U.S.C. 1766(d)(5) establishing a required review and issuance of guidance and, as appropriate, regulations concerning the serious deficiency process, specifying review elements and prohibiting consideration of State-specific requirements in determining noncompliance or serious deficiency.
Amends Section 17(a)(6) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii); inserting and replacing specified clause and subparagraph text throughout subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), (E), and (F); replacing a date reference with 'June 20, 2000'; and adding a new subparagraph (B) establishing an annual eligibility determination for institutions described in paragraph (2)(B).
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Introduced April 10, 2025 by Richard Blumenthal · Last progress April 10, 2025
Makes targeted changes to the child nutrition program rules for child care providers: updates who is eligible, tightens what combinations of meals/snacks can be reimbursed per child each day, requires a study and report on adding a third reimbursable meal, and switches the inflation index used for payments to the Consumer Price Index for food away from home. It also orders a federal review and new guidance/regulations on how serious deficiencies are handled, creates an advisory committee to reduce paperwork burdens, and imposes timelines for those reviews, guidance, and committee actions.
Amend Section 17(a)(6) by, in subparagraph (B), inserting text after a semicolon (the text to be inserted is not shown in this excerpt).
Redesignate subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and indent the clauses appropriately.
In subparagraph (C): (A) in clause (ii), strike existing text and insert a new clause labeled (II) containing the phrase 'if the institution is a sponsoring organization, employs;'; (B) strike and insert a new clause labeled (iii) with a subclause (I) that begins 'will provide;'. (Exact inserted text beyond these fragments is not shown in this excerpt.)
In subparagraph (D): (A) replace the phrase 'one employee, the organization' with '1 employee,'; and (B) strike and insert a new clause labeled (iv) that begins 'if the institution is;'. (Full inserted text is not shown in this excerpt.)
In subparagraph (E), strike the existing text and insert a new clause labeled (v) that begins 'if the institution is a sponsoring organization,'. (Full inserted text not shown in this excerpt.)
Primary impacts fall on child care providers that participate in the federal child nutrition program (including proprietary child care centers). They may face new annual eligibility checks and altered reimbursement rules that change how many meals or snacks can be claimed per child per day. Program operators will need to track allowable meal/snack combinations closely and respond to new guidance from the Secretary. Children in participating programs could see operational changes in meal scheduling or menus; a required study on a third reimbursable meal could lead to future expansion or rule changes affecting service levels. State governments and their agencies are affected administratively because the bill restricts use of State‑specific requirements in federal enforcement and encourages federal-level standardization of the serious-deficiency process. The paperwork-reduction advisory committee could lower reporting and administrative burden for providers if recommendations are implemented, but providers may incur short-term costs to comply with new annual eligibility checks, updated meal-tracking rules, or new federal guidance. No new funding is specified, so compliance costs would likely fall on existing program resources unless appropriations are later provided. Overall, the bill tightens federal program rules, clarifies enforcement processes, and pushes for reduced paperwork while leaving detailed implementation to future guidance and rulemaking by the Secretary.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Introduced in Senate