Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7259 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7259

 To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to exclude 
 certain military housing allowances from the calculation of household 
                    income, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 2026

  Mr. Levin (for himself and Mr. Mackenzie) 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 exclude 
 certain military housing allowances from the calculation of household 
                    income, 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 ``Military Dependents School Meal 
Eligibility Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. DIRECT CERTIFICATION FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE MEMBERS OF A 
              HOUSEHOLD OF A MEMBER OF A UNIFORMED SERVICE.

    (a) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than October 1, 2026, the 
        Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of 
        Defense, shall submit to Congress a report on the feasibility 
        and cost of establishing procedures under which children who 
        are members of a household of a member of a uniformed service 
        may be certified as eligible for free or reduced price lunches 
        under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) and free or reduced price breakfasts under 
        the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), 
        without further application.
            (2) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
        shall evaluate a range of options for implementing direct 
        certification, including--
                    (A) the use and sharing of data collected for the 
                calculation of the basic needs allowance under section 
                402b of title 37, United States Code, and other 
                assistance programs for members of a uniformed service; 
                and
                    (B) the exclusion of non-service member income from 
                the calculation of household income under the Richard 
                B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et 
                seq.).
    (b) Exclusion of Basic Allowance for Housing From Income 
Calculation.--Section 9(b)(13) of the Richard B. Russell National 
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(13)) is amended by striking ``, on 
behalf of'' and all that follows through ``related provision of law''.
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