Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act
Sponsored By: Representative Bonamici
Introduced
Summary
This bill would modernize and streamline the Child and Adult Care Food Program, tightening oversight for certain providers and expanding meal reimbursements to help working families access more meals for children.
Show full summary
- Families and working parents would see limited expansion of reimbursable meals or snacks, with per-child caps such as up to 2 meals plus 1 supplement in some cases. The bill also requires a 2-year study and a report to relevant congressional committees on the prevalence, economic impact, and implementation of a third meal.
- Child care providers, especially proprietary centers, would face annual eligibility determinations and a clarified, time-bound review of the program's "serious deficiency" process. New guidance or regulations due within 1 year would define reasonable margins of error, fair appeals and mediation, and limit consideration of state-only requirements.
- Administrators and states would get a new Advisory Committee on Paperwork Reduction established within 180 days and required guidance within 2 years to cut duplicative forms, allow digital records and signatures, enable direct certification in all States, and modernize monitoring and audits.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
More paid meals on long care days
Child care and afterschool programs could be paid for more meals per child. On a normal day, they could claim up to 2 meals and 1 supplement, or 1 meal and 2 supplements. If there are 8 or more hours between the first and fourth meal times, they could claim up to 3 meals and 1 supplement, or 2 meals and 2 supplements. The Secretary of Agriculture would study third-meal payments and report within 2 years, then issue guidance to improve use and limit costs.
Committee to cut meal program paperwork
The Secretary must set up a paperwork advisory committee within 180 days. It would look for ways to remove duplicate or unnecessary forms, including extra State rules. Not later than 2 years after enactment, USDA would issue guidance or rules based on its advice. Within 180 days after that, USDA would report to Congress on any ideas not used and suggest needed laws.
New inflation index for meal payments
Meal reimbursement updates would use the Consumer Price Index for food away from home instead of food at home. This could make payments higher in some years and lower in others, depending on prices. The change would start upon enactment.
Fairer, clearer rules for meal violations
Within 1 year, the Secretary would update how serious violations are found and handled. The rules must allow a reasonable margin for human error. Providers would get independent appeals and mediation with fair timelines. Homes would get fix-it timeframes that match centers. A finding could be dismissed after correction, and state-only rules could not trigger findings.
Yearly eligibility checks for for-profit centers
For-profit child care centers in the meal program would have eligibility checked every year. This could add paperwork but give a clear, regular status for participation. The rule would start upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bonamici
OR • D
Cosponsors
Mackenzie
PA • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Landsman
OH • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Sanchez
CA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Castro (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Watson Coleman
NJ • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Salinas
OR • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Mannion
NY • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Escobar
TX • D
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Tlaib
MI • D
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Bresnahan
PA • R
Sponsored 12/19/2025
Hayes
CT • D
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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