MEALS Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6187 To allow the Secretary of Agriculture to grant certain waivers under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to address school closures due to COVID–19, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 11, 2020 Ms. OMAR (for herself, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. TRONE, Mr. SABLAN, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. WILD, Mr. LEVIN of Michigan, Ms. SCHRIER, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. ADAMS, Mrs. HAYES, Ms. PRESSLEY, and Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To allow the Secretary of Agriculture to grant certain waiv- ers under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to address school closures due to COVID–19, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maintaining Essential 4 Access to Lunch for Students Act’’ or the ‘‘MEALS Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:16 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6187.IH H6187 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6187 IH SEC. 2. WAIVER EXCEPTION FOR SCHOOL CLOSURES DUE 1 TO COVID–19. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The requirements under section 3 12(l)(1)(A)(iii) of the Richard B. Russell National School 4 Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(l)(1)(A)(iii)) shall not apply 5 to a qualified COVID–19 waiver. 6 (b) ALLOWABLE INCREASE IN FEDERAL COSTS.— 7 Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of section 12(l) of the 8 Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 9 1760(l)), the Secretary of Agriculture may grant a quali- 10 fied COVID–19 waiver that increases Federal costs. 11 (c) TERMINATION AFTER PERIODIC REVIEW.—The 12 requirements under section 12(l)(5) of the Richard B. 13 Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(l)(5)) 14 shall not apply to a qualified COVID–19 waiver. 15 (d) QUALIFIED COVID–19 WAIVER.—In this sec- 16 tion, the term ‘‘qualified COVID–19 waiver’’ means a 17 waiver— 18 (1) requested by a State (as defined in section 19 12(d)(8) of the Richard B. Russell National School 20 Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(d)(8))) or eligible serv- 21 ice provider under section 12(l) of the Richard B. 22 Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 23 1760(l)); and 24 (2) to waive any requirement under such Act 25 (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the Child Nutrition Act 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:16 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6187.IH H6187 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6187 IH of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), or any regulation 1 issued under either such Act, for purposes of pro- 2 viding meals and meal supplements under such Acts 3 during a school closure due to COVID–19. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:16 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6187.IH H6187 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS