Renaming the National School Lunch Program Act of 2025
This bill renames the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act as the Jean E. Fairfax National School Lunch Act.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1967 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1967
To rename the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 6, 2025
Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Carson, Mr.
Cohen, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Ms. Norton,
Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. McClellan, Mrs. McIver, and Ms. Tlaib)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To rename the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Renaming the National School Lunch
Program Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) That Jean E. Fairfax was a civil rights activist who--
(A) was born to parents who were the first in their
family to be legally free;
(B) fought for equitable educational access,
challenged systemic employment discrimination, and led
influential federal policy innovations in all realms to
support working class and marginalized peoples;
(C) assisted Black families navigating school
integration after the ruling of Brown v. Board of
Education;
(D) joined the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People's Legal Defense Fund and
established the Division of Legal Information and
Community Service; and
(E) continued to serve her community through civil
rights work and philanthropy after retirement.
(2) It is evidenced that Jean E. Fairfax contributed
greatly to the National School Lunch Program in an equitable
manner through--
(A) organizing five national women's organizations
and creating the Committee on School Lunch
Participation to study the National School Lunch
Program;
(B) testifying before Congress on multiple
occasions to reveal that the implementation of the
National School Lunch Program was failing to reach
children that needed it most;
(C) advocating for increased funding of the
National School Lunch Program to serve children in
areas of concentrated poverty that were
disproportionately minorities; and
(D) having her findings incorporated in National
School Lunch Program reform legislation that led to the
program becoming more inclusive.
(3) The National School Lunch Program is named after an
individual who--
(A) objected to anti-lynching bills and civil
rights legislation in Congress and affirmed his belief
in white supremacy;
(B) opposed school integration and was a
contributor to the creation of the Southern Manifesto;
(C) dismissed concerns of child-welfare advocates,
civil rights activists, and women-led organizations
during debate over the implementation of the National
School Lunch Program; and
(D) believed that segregation should be maintained
while implementing the National School Lunch Program.
SEC. 3. RENAMING OF RICHARD B. RUSSELL NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH ACT.
(a) Short Title.--The first section of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 note) is amended by striking
``Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act'' and inserting ``Jean
E. Fairfax National School Lunch Act''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Each of the following provisions of law
is amended by striking ``Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act''
and inserting ``Jean E. Fairfax National School Lunch Act'':
(1) Sections 3(a)(2)(C), 3(b)(1)(A)(iii)(III),
3(e)(1)(D)(iii)(III), 17(b)(2), and 18(3)(A) of the Commodity
Distribution Reform Act and WIC Amendments of 1987 (7 U.S.C.
612c note).
(2) Section 5(l)(2)(D) of the Agriculture and Consumer
Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note).
(3) Section 10603(b) of the Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 612c-4(b)).
(4) Sections 4301(b)(2), 4301(b)(3), 4304(a)(2)(A),
4304(a)(2)(B), 4305(c), 4305(c)(1), 4306(a)(3), 4306(b),
14222(b)(1), 14222(c), and 14222(e)(1) of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 612c-6(b)(1),
612c-6(c), 612c-6(e)(1) 2208 note; 42 U.S.C. 1755a, 1758(b)(2),
1758(b)(3), 1769a note).
(5) Section 404 of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C.
1424).
(6) Section 282(f)(2)(b) of the Act entitled ``To provide
for further research into basic laws and principles relating to
agriculture and to improve and facilitate the marketing and
distribution of agricultural products'', approved August 14,
1946 (7 U.S.C 1638a(f)(2)(b)).
(7) Section 201(a) of the Act entitled ``An Act to extend
the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954,
and for other purposes'', approved September 21, 1959 (7 U.S.C.
1431c(a)).
(8) Sections 1101(e), 2102(a), 2102(b), 2102(c),
2102(d)(1), 2202(a)(1), 2202(a)(2)(A), 2202(b), 2202(c),
2202(e)(2)(A)(ii), 2202(f)(1)(A), 2202(f)(1)(C), 2201(f)(1)(D),
and 2202(f)(3), of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
(7 U.S.C. 2011 note; 42 U.S.C. 1760 note).
(9) Sections 11(u)(1), 11(u)(2)(A), and 11(u)(2)(B), of the
Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020(u)(1), 2020(u)(2)(A),
2020(u)(2)(B)).
(10) Section 28(a)(1)(B) of the Food Stamp Act of 1964 (7
U.S.C. 2036a(a)(1)(B)).
(11) Section 211(a) of the Agricultural Trade Suspension
Adjustment Act of 1980 (title II of the Agricultural Act of
1980) (7 U.S.C. 4004(a)).
(12) Sections 413(b)(2) and 413(b)(3) of the Agricultural
Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C.
7633(b)(2), 7633(b)(3)).
(13) Sections 403(c)(2)(C), 422(b)(3), 423(d)(3),
741(a)(1), 742(a), and 742(b)(2)(A) and the caption for section
742 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1183a note, 1613(c)(2)(C),
1615(a), 1615(b)(2)(A), 1632(b)(3); 42 U.S.C. 1751 note).
(14) Section 245A(h)(4)(A) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act approved June 27, 1952, (8 U.S.C.
1255a(h)(4)(A)).
(15) Section 645(a)(3)(C)(iii) of the James M. Inhofe
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (10
U.S.C. 1060a note).
(16) Sections 1154(a)(2)(A)(i), 1154(a)(3)(A), and 2243(b)
of title 10, United States Code.
(17) Sections 200(11)(A)(i)(II), 200(11)(A)(ii)(I),
200(11)(A)(ii)(II), 200(11)(B)(ii)(I)(bb), 404B(1)(A), 479,
483(a)(2)(ii)(XVII)(cc), 894(b)(1)(B), and 894(b)(5) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021(11)(A)(i)(II),
1021(11)(A)(ii)(I), 1021(11)(A)(ii)(II),
1021(11)(B)(ii)(I)(bb), 1070a-22(d)(1)(A), 1087ss(d)(2)(C),
1090 note, 1161y(b)(1)(B), 1161y(b)(5)).
(18) Section 444 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Amendments of 1967 (20 U.S.C. 1232g(b)(1)(K)).
(19) Sections 1113(a)(5)(A), 2221(b)(3)(B)(i),
4611(d)(2)(B), and 7003(b)(2)(B)(i)(III)(bb)(BB) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6313(a)(5)(A), 6641(b)(3)(B)(i), 7261(d)(2)(B),
7703(b)(2)(B)(i)(III)(bb)(BB)).
(20) Section 6122(3) of the America COMPETES Act (20 U.S.C.
9832(3)).
(21) Section 423(j)(2)(D) of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C 350l(j)(2)(D)).
(22) Section 3(36)(A)(iv) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102(36)(A)(iv)).
(23) Section 3803(c)(2)(C)(xiii) of title 31, United States
Code.
(24) Section 252(i) of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention Act 1974 (34 U.S.C. 11162(i)).
(25) Section 402a(f)(2)(A) of title 37, United States Code.
(26) Section 113(e)(8)(A) of title 40, United States Code.
(27) Sections 722(b)(3)(A)(i), 722(b)(3)(B)(i),
722(b)(3)(C)(i), 722(b)(3)(D)(i), 722(d)(3), 722(d)(4)(A),
722(d)(5), 722(d)(7), 722(d)(11)(A), and 722(d)(13) of title
VII of division N and section 904(a)(6)(B) of title IX of
division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (42
U.S.C. 1751 note; 47 U.S.C. 1752(a)(6)(B)).
(28) Sections 222(3), 307(b)(1), 307(b)(1)(A), 307(b)(2),
and 336(a) of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (42
U.S.C. 1751 note, 1766 note).
(29) Sections 2(4), 125, 301(a), 301(b)(1), 301(a),
301(b)(1), 301(b)(2), and 301(b)(3) of the Healthy Meals for
Healthy Americans Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 1751 note).
(30) Sections 2(a)(1), 2(d)(1), 2(d)(2), 3(a)(1), and 3(b)
of the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. 1753 note, 1760
note, 1766 note).
(31) Sections 4033(b)(3)(B), 4213(c), 4213(c)(1), and
4214(a) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (25 U.S.C.
1685(b)(3)(B); 42 U.S.C. 1755b(c); 1755b(c)(1), 1769a note).
(32) Section 4207(a)(1) of the Agriculture Improvement Act
of 2018 (42 U.S.C. 1760 note).
(33) Sections 1107(a), 1107(b), and 1107(c)(1) of the
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (42 U.S.C. 1766 note).
(34) Sections 119(i), 119(j)(1), and 119(j)(3)(C) of the
Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C.
1766 note).
(35) Sections 3(a)(1), 3(a)(2), 3(a)(5), 3(b), 4(b)(1)(B),
4(b)(2)(B)(ii), 4(b)(3), 4(b)(4), 4(e)(1)(A), 7(a)(1)(A),
7(a)(2)(A), 7(a)(3), 7(a)(4), 7(a)(6), 7(a)(7), 7(a)(8),
7(a)(9)(A), 7(e)(3), 7(f), 7(g)(1)(A)(ii)(I), 7(g)(1)(B),
7(g)(1)(D)(i), 7(g)(1)(D)(ii), 7(h)(2)(A), 7(i)(3)(A),
7(i)(3)(B)(ii), 10(a), 10(b)(1)(a), 10(c), 11, 13, 16(b),
19(d), 19(h)(3)(D), 19(h)(5)(B)(vi), and 23(d)(2) of the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1772(a)(1), 1772(a)(2),
1772(a)(5), 1772(b), 1773(b)(1)(B), 1773(b)(2)(B)(ii),
1773(b)(3), 1773(b)(4), 1773(e)(1)(A), 1776(a)(1)(A),
1776(a)(2)(A), 1776(a)(3), 1776(a)(4), 1776(a)(6), 1776(a)(7),
1776(a)(8), 1776(a)(9)(A), 1776(e)(3), 1776(f),
1776(g)(1)(A)(ii)(I), 1776(g)(1)(B), 1776(g)(1)(D)(i),
1776(g)(1)(D)(ii), 1776(h)(2)(A), 1776(i)(3)(A),
1776(i)(3)(B)(ii), 1779(a), 1779(b)(1)(a), 1779(c), 1780(c),
1782, 1785(b), 1788(d), 1788(h)(3)(D), 1788(h)(5)(B)(vi),
1793(d)(2)).
(36) Section 4(8)(A) of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 1862n note).
(37) Section 3(c)(6)(B) of the STEM Education Act of 2015
(42 U.S.C. 1862q(c)(6)(B)).
(38) Sections 658E(c)(2)(E)(i)(IV) and 658O(b)(3) of the
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C.
9858m(b)(3), 9858c(c)(2)(E)(i)(IV)).
(39) Section 40541(d)(1)(B)(i) of the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (42 U.S.C. 18831(d)(1)(B)(i)).
(40) Subsection (b) of the first section of the Act
entitled ``An Act to extend the application of certain laws to
American Samoa'', as approved September 25, 1962 (48 U.S.C.
1666(b)).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
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