H.R. 8798

Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026

Sponsor: Ilhan Omar

103 cosponsors
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I School Breakfast Program

II School Lunch Program

Sec. 208. Meals and supplements for children in afterschool care

Section 17A of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1766a) is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by striking Meal supplements and inserting Meals and supplements;

(2) in subsection (a)(1), by striking meal supplements and inserting free meals and supplements;

(3) in subsection (b), by inserting meals and before supplements; and

(4) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(c) Reimbursement

(1) In general

(A) Meals. A free meal provided under this section to a child shall be reimbursed at a rate of $5.42, adjusted annually for inflation in accordance with paragraph (3)(A) and rounded in accordance with paragraph (3)(B).

(B) Supplements. A free supplement provided under this section to a child shall be reimbursed at the rate at which free supplements are reimbursed under section 17(c)(2)(C).

(2) Limitation to reimbursements. An institution may claim reimbursement under this section for not more than 1 meal and 1 supplement per day per child served on a regular school day.

(3) Inflation; rounding

(A) Inflation adjustment

(i) In general. The annual inflation adjustment under paragraph (1)(A) shall reflect changes in the cost of operating the program under this section, as indicated by the change in the Consumer Price Index for food away from home for all urban consumers.

(ii) Basis. Each inflation annual adjustment under paragraph (1)(A) shall reflect the changes in the Consumer Price Index for food away from home for the most recent 12-month period for which that data is available.

(B) Rounding. On July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the reimbursement rate for a free meal under this section shall be—

(i) adjusted to the nearest lower-cent increment; and

(ii) based on the unrounded amounts for the preceding 12-month period.

III Elementary and Secondary Education Data

IV Amendments to Other Programs and Laws