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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4451 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4451
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to enhance
direct certification under the school lunch program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 16, 2025
Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Mr. Bacon, and Ms. Ross) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to enhance
direct certification under the school lunch program.
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 ``Caregivers, Access, and Responsible
Expansion for Kids Act of 2025'' or the ``CARE for Kids Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. ENHANCING DIRECT CERTIFICATION.
Section 9(b)(5) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
(42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(5)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting
``(including any school operated by the Bureau of Indian
Education)'' before ``may certify''; and
(2) in subparagraph (E)--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(B) in clause (ii)--
(i) by striking ``who'' and inserting
``whom''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and
inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(iii) a child whose placement with a
caregiver was carried out with the involvement
of an agency that administers a State plan
under part B or E of title IV of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or a
tribal child welfare agency, without regard to
whether the agency is responsible for the care
and placement of the child;
``(iv) a child for whom an adoption
assistance payment is made under section 473(a)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673(a))
or under a similar State-funded or State-
operated program, as determined by the
Secretary;
``(v) a child for whom a kinship
guardianship assistance payment is made under
section 473(d) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 673(d)) or under a similar State-funded
or State-operated program, as determined by the
Secretary, without regard to whether the child
was previously in foster care; or
``(vi) a child of a family that--
``(I) lives in housing dedicated to
low-income families with a caregiver
who is a grandparent or another older
person that cares for the child full-
time; or
``(II) receives housing or housing
assistance under the Native American
Housing Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C.
4101 et seq.).''.
SEC. 3. EXTENDED ELIGIBILITY.
Section 9(b)(9) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
(42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(9)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D);
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following:
``(C) Eligibility of transferred children.--
``(i) Definition of covered child.--In this
subparagraph, the term `covered child' means a
child that--
``(I) has been determined eligible
for free or reduced price meals under
this Act by a local educational agency
(referred to in this subparagraph as
the `original local educational
agency'); and
``(II) transfers to another school
that is under the jurisdiction of a
different local educational agency
(referred to in this subparagraph as
the `new local educational agency').
``(ii) Eligibility.--An eligibility
determination made by an original local
educational agency with respect to a covered
child shall be transferred to, and honored by,
the new local educational agency, including the
period for which that determination was
authorized, subject to an extension under
clause (iii).
``(iii) Extension of duration.--A new local
educational agency shall honor the eligibility
determination for a covered child under clause
(ii) for a period that is 1 year longer than
the period for which that determination was
authorized by the original local educational
agency if the covered child began living with a
caregiver--
``(I) in the 12-month period
preceding the date on which the covered
child is enrolled in a school under the
jurisdiction of a new local educational
agency; and
``(II) who is--
``(aa) a grandparent or
other relative and has legal
authority to secure services
for the child through an
educational or healthcare
consent affidavit, power of
attorney, or other legal
documentation; or
``(bb) a grandparent or
other relative and has legal
custody of the child or has
commenced the process of
seeking legal custody of the
child in a court of law.''; and
(3) in subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated)--
(A) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as
subclauses (I) and (II), respectively, and indenting
appropriately;
(B) in the matter preceding subclause (I) (as so
redesignated), by striking ``Except as'' and all that
follows through ``(3)(H)(ii)'' and inserting the
following:
``(i) In general.--Except as otherwise
specified in clause (ii), subparagraph (C),
subparagraphs (E) and (H)(ii) of paragraph
(3)''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(ii) Extension for certain children.--A
school food authority shall extend the
eligibility determination made by a local
educational agency with respect to a child for
a period that is 1 year longer than the period
for which that determination was authorized by
the local educational agency, if the child
began living with a caregiver--
``(I) in the 12-month period
preceding the date on which the covered
child is enrolled in the new school;
and
``(II) who is--
``(aa) a grandparent or
other relative and has legal
authority to secure services
for the child through an
educational or healthcare
consent affidavit, power of
attorney, or other legal
documentation; or
``(bb) a grandparent or
other relative and has legal
custody of the child or has
commenced the process of
seeking legal custody of the
child in a court of law.''.
SEC. 4. EXPANDING AUTOMATIC ELIGIBILITY.
(a) In General.--Section 9(b)(12)(A) of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(12)(A)) is amended--
(1) by conforming the margins of clauses (iv) through (vii)
to the margin of clause (iii); and
(2) in clause (vii)--
(A) in subclause (I), by striking ``or'' at the
end;
(B) in subclause (II)--
(i) by striking ``who'' and inserting
``whom''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and
inserting a semicolon; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(III) a child whose placement
with a caregiver was carried out with
the involvement of an agency that
administers a State plan under part B
or E of title IV of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or a tribal
child welfare agency, without regard to
whether the agency is responsible for
the care and placement of the child;
``(IV) a child for whom an adoption
assistance payment is made under
section 473(a) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 673(a)) or under a
similar State-funded or State-operated
program, as determined by the
Secretary;
``(V) a child for whom a kinship
guardianship assistance payment is made
under section 473(d) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673(d)) or
under a similar State-funded or State-
operated program, as determined by the
Secretary, without regard to whether
the child was previously in foster
care; or
``(VI) a child of a family that--
``(aa) lives in housing
dedicated to low-income
families with a caregiver who
is a grandparent or another
older person that cares for the
child full-time; or
``(bb) receives housing or
housing assistance under the
Native American Housing
Assistance and Self-
Determination Act of 1996 (25
U.S.C. 4101 et seq.).''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 9(d)(2) of the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(d)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``clauses (iv) or
(v)'' and inserting ``clauses (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), or
(vii)'';
(2) in subparagraph (E), by adding ``or'' at the end;
(3) by striking subparagraph (F); and
(4) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (F)
and conforming the margin of subparagraph (F) (as so
redesignated) appropriately.
SEC. 5. MEDICAID DIRECT CERTIFICATION.
Section 9(b)(15)(A)(i) of the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(15)(A)(i)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding subclause (I), by striking
``The term'' and inserting the following:
``(I) In general.--The term'';
(2) in subclause (I), by redesignating items (aa) and (bb)
as subitems (AA) and (BB), respectively;
(3) by redesignating subclauses (I) and (II) as items (aa)
and (bb), respectively;
(4) in item (bb), as so redesignated, by striking
``regulations) with a child described in subclause (I)'' and
inserting ``regulations)) with a child described in item
(aa)''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following:
``(II) Other children.--The term `eligible
child' includes a child that receives medical
assistance under the Medicaid program--
``(aa) under subclause (I) of
section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)) on the basis of
receiving aid or assistance under the
State plan approved under part E of
title IV of that Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et
seq.) or by reason of section 473(b) of
that Act (42 U.S.C. 673(b)); or
``(bb) under subclause (II) of
section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i) of that Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)) on the
basis of receiving supplemental
security income benefits.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
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