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119-hr-8728119th CongressWALLET

Feed Our Kids Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

Introduced

Summary

Universal free school meals for every child in participating schools. The bill removes income checks for breakfast and lunch, sets national meal payments, creates local-food bonuses, bans meal debt and shaming, and expands afterschool and childcare feeding programs.

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  • Families and students: All enrolled children at participating schools get free breakfast and lunch and broader access to summer and afterschool meals. This removes reduced-price and paid categories.
  • Schools and food authorities: Federal payments are set at $2.80 per free breakfast and $4.63 per free lunch with annual inflation adjustments. States will distribute any local-food premium to eligible school food authorities.
  • Local farms and states: A local-food premium is available when a state certifies at least 25% of meals used locally sourced products. “Locally sourced” means in-state or within 250 miles of the school food authority.
  • Meal debt and dignity: Collection of unpaid meal charges and all forms of meal shaming are prohibited. A delinquent-debt reimbursement program will reimburse schools for owed meal debt and requires timely federal payment.
  • Afterschool, childcare, and summer programs: The Child and Adult Care Food Program expands to private nonresidential afterschool care and guarantees free meals; afterschool meals and summer feeding rules are revised and limits are set at up to 3 meals and 1 supplement per child per day.
  • Reporting and oversight: The Secretary must report within 1 year on program effects, and the Comptroller General must review the delinquent-debt reimbursement program within 2 years.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Free school meals and payments

If enacted, all children enrolled at participating schools would get free breakfast and free lunch. The bill would set the national payment at $2.80 per free breakfast and $4.63 per free lunch. It would add a local-food bonus for eligible schools of $0.21 per breakfast, $0.30 per lunch or supper, and $0.08 per supplement when a State certifies at least 25% local sourcing. These rates would be adjusted for food CPI inflation each year and rounded down starting July 1, 2026. Most program changes would take effect one year after enactment unless another date is specified.

Ban meal shaming and pay old debt

If enacted, schools would be banned from shaming or publicly identifying children over unpaid meal charges. The ban on collections and shaming for breakfast and afterschool would start on the date of enactment; the lunch shaming ban would start one year after enactment. The bill would also require the Secretary to set up a program to reimburse schools for delinquent meal debt owed as of the bill's effective date, start that program within 60 days after the effective date, and finish reimbursements within 180 days. The Comptroller General would report on the delinquent‑debt program within two years of the effective date.

More free afterschool and care meals

If enacted, afterschool meals and supplements would be free and reimbursed at $4.63 per afterschool meal and $1.20 per supplement (both adjusted for food CPI). The Child and Adult Care Food Program would expand to more private nonresidential child care providers and pay breakfasts at $2.80 and lunches at $4.63, with $1.20 supplements (all CPI‑adjusted). Summer meal sites would serve economically disadvantaged students under the ESEA measure, pay for meals from May through September and on some school closure or in‑service days, and limit payments to no more than 3 meals and 1 supplement per child per day. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program would focus outreach to high‑need schools, including Tribal schools.

Targeted pilots, training, and state rules

If enacted, pilot projects would have to mainly serve students who are economically disadvantaged as defined under ESEA section 1113(a)(5). Training and technical assistance would be focused on schools that serve economically disadvantaged students. State education agencies would be required to disburse apportioned breakfast funds to schools they select to help run breakfast programs. The bill would also repeal the Richard B. Russell Act's Special Assistance Program and make related conforming changes.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]

NJ • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 5/11/2026

  • Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 5/11/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 5/29/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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