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119-hr-5655119th CongressWALLET
No Shame at School Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would require automatic direct certification and anti-stigma protections so more students get free or reduced-price school meals without being singled out. It also would change how schools are reimbursed when a child is certified after meals are served.
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- Families and students: Low-income households would get faster enrollment via required direct certification and eligibility that can be retroactive to the first day of the school year. The bill forbids physically segregating or overtly identifying children, using debt collectors, or withholding food or educational opportunities because of unpaid meal fees.
- Local educational agencies and school food authorities: Schools would be required to implement direct certification and must revise previously submitted meal claims to reflect retroactive eligibility so they can seek reimbursement for meals served earlier in the school year.
- Communications and collection rules: The bill allows sealed letters to parents about unpaid fees but bars child-facing communications that stigmatize students and limits collection activities tied to the child.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Automatic school meal approval and backdating
If enacted, schools would have to act when a child's household owes a week or more in meal fees. The district would try to directly certify the child for free meals. If that is not possible, the district would send an application and encourage the family to apply in writing and by speaking with them. Schools would also need to fix past reimbursement claims once a child is approved. Claims would be backdated to the first day of the current school year, which could reduce what families owe for earlier meals.
Stop shaming kids over meal debt
This bill would bar schools from singling out kids over meal debt. Schools could not take away served food, separate kids, or use tokens, lists, or announcements to mark them. When collecting, schools could not talk to the child about the debt, withhold grades or activities, or use debt collectors. A sealed letter to a parent or guardian would be allowed. A covered child would include kids with unpaid meal fees at participating schools or kids eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2]
GA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20]
FL • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]
GA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
MA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]
VI • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]
WA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
FL • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]
CA • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]
TX • D
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 11/12/2025
Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/12/2025
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/18/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov