What This Bill Does
This bill increases the amount of money that schools get paid when they serve lunch and breakfast to students. The bill makes changes to two existing federal nutrition programs that help schools pay for these meals.
Who It Affects
School food authorities (the organizations that run school meal programs) are directly affected by this bill.
Key Provisions
• Schools get an extra 45 cents for each lunch they serve to students starting July 1, 2023. (Sec. 2(a))
• Schools get an extra 28 cents for each breakfast they serve to students starting July 1, 2023. This includes free breakfasts, reduced price breakfasts, and breakfasts for students who pay full price. (Sec. 2(b))
• The extra money schools receive will be adjusted each year starting July 1, 2024, in a specific way outlined in another section of existing law. (Sec. 2(a) and 2(b))
What Changes
Schools will receive additional reimbursement (payment) for each meal they serve beginning July 1, 2023. The amounts they receive will increase by 45 cents per lunch and 28 cents per breakfast. These additional payments will be adjusted annually starting in 2024.
Important Definitions
School food authorities: organizations that run school meal programs.
Effective Date
July 1, 2023.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1269
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 to increase reimbursement rates of school meals,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 1, 2023
Mr. MCGOVERN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to increase
reimbursement rates of school meals, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited ‘‘Healthy Meals Help Kids
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Learn Act of 2023’’.
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•HR 1269 IH
SEC. 2. INCREASING THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE OF
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SCHOOL MEALS.
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(a) SCHOOL LUNCH INCREASE.—Section 4(b) of the
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Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
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1753(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(4) NON-PERFORMANCE-BASED ADDITIONAL REIM-
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BURSEMENT.—
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‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Beginning on July 1,
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2023, each lunch served in school food authorities
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shall receive an additional 45 cents.
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‘‘(B) ADJUSTMENT.—The amount in subpara-
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graph (A) shall be adjusted in accordance with sec-
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tion 11(a)(3) beginning on July 1, 2024.’’.
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(b)
SCHOOL
BREAKFAST
INCREASE.—Section
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4(b)(1) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C.
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1758(b)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
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lowing:
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‘‘(F) NON-PERFORMANCE-BASED ADDITIONAL RE-
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IMBURSEMENT.—
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‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on July 1, 2023,
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each free breakfast, reduced price breakfast, and
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breakfast served to children not eligible for free or
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reduced price meals served in school food authorities
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shall receive an additional 28 cents.
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‘‘(ii) ADJUSTMENT.—The amount in clause (i)
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shall be adjusted in accordance with section 11(a)(3)
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•HR 1269 IH
of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
1
Act beginning on July 1, 2024.’’.
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Æ
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