# 119-s-5460: Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act of 2026

119-s-5460, Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5460
- As of: 2026-10-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5460
- Congress: 119
- Title: Healthy Meals Help Kids Learn Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-23
- Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM)
- Cosponsors: 14
- Policy area: Agriculture and Food
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-21

## Summary

**Would add a flat federal increase to school meal payments to strengthen school meal programs and student nutrition.** Beginning October 1, 2026, it would raise per-lunch payments by 45 cents and per-breakfast payments by 28 cents, with those amounts adjusted under the law's existing adjustment formula starting July 1, 2027. - Students and families: More federal support per meal could improve students' access to regular breakfasts and lunches. The lift targets school meal availability where families rely on school food. - School food authorities: The change creates entitlement-like per-meal increases that could ease budget pressure on meal programs and help sustain operations. - Scope and mechanics: The increases would apply to lunches under the National School Lunch Act and to breakfasts under the Child Nutrition Act. The breakfast uplift covers free, reduced-price, and paid breakfasts served by school food authorities.

## Cosponsors (14)

- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM), 2026-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (D-NH), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA] (D-PA), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] (D-NY), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] (D-RI), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] (D-NV), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More school meal money for kids: benefit, low. If enacted, school food authorities would get an extra $0.45 for each lunch they serve starting October 1, 2026. They would also get an extra $0.28 for each breakfast starting that same date. Those amounts would be adjusted beginning July 1, 2027 under the bill’s referenced adjustment mechanism. Pa…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act

## Sources
- [119-s-5460 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5460)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5460 (as of 2026-10-21).