Bill · S. 5495· Senate(119-S-5495)
Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 9/24/2026
- Last activity
- 9/24/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Sponsored by
- Andy Kim
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act of 2026. It changes how household income is calculated under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act by excluding certain military housing allowances. It also requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress by October 1, 2026. This report must look at the feasibility and cost of directly certifying children of uniformed service members for free or reduced-price lunches and breakfasts without needing a further application.
Yes· 3 of 8
Would children be better off under this?+5
Children of uniformed service members are more likely to qualify for free or reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches.
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?+5
Active-duty service members and military families benefit directly from expanded access to child nutrition programs.
Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive?+5
The bill provides better support for military families and service members by easing their access to school meal programs for their children.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Exclusion of Housing Allowances: Under Section 2, the bill amends Section 9(b)(13) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(13)) to exclude certain military housing allowances from the calculation of household income. This could help military families qualify for school meal programs since their housing pay would not count against them.
-
Direct Certification Study: Under Section 3, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Defense must report on how to set up procedures to certify children of uniformed service members for free or reduced-price meals without requiring an application. This could make it much easier for military families to get food assistance for their kids without dealing with extra paperwork.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No Negative Impacts Found: Based strictly on the provided text, there are no specific sections or provisions that outline negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+5Good For Veterans+5Good For Low Income Households+4Good For Middle Class Households+3
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+4
- Education And Technology
- Increases Public School Funding+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Martin HeinrichDemocrat · New Mexico