February 12, 2026
Mr. Krishnamoorthi introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to make lunches free for all children and to reimburse school meal delinquent debt, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title; table of contents
(a) Short title
This Act may be cited as the Kids Need Lunch Act
.
(b) Table of contents
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 2. Effective date
Unless otherwise provided, this Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall take effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.
Title I Free Lunches
Sec. 101. Apportionment to States
Section 4(b) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1753(b)) is amended—
(1)
by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
(2) Payment amounts
(A) In general
The national average payment for each free lunch shall be $4.86, adjusted annually for inflation in accordance with subparagraph (B) and rounded in accordance with subparagraph (C).
(B) Inflation adjustment
(i) In general
The annual inflation adjustment under subparagraph (A) shall reflect changes in the cost of operating the free lunch program under this Act, as indicated by the change in the Consumer Price Index for food away from home for all urban consumers.
(ii) Basis
Each annual inflation adjustment under subparagraph (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.
(C) Rounding
On July 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the national average payment rate for free lunch shall be—
(i)
adjusted to the nearest lower-cent increment; and
(ii)
based on the unrounded amounts for the preceding 12-month period.; and
(2)
by striking paragraph (3).
Sec. 102. Nutritional and other program requirements
(a) Elimination of free lunch eligibility requirements
(1) In general
Section 9(b) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)) is amended to read as follows:
(b) Free lunches
All children enrolled in a school that participates in the school lunch program under this Act shall be eligible to receive free lunch under this Act.
(2) Provisions applicable to free and reduced price breakfasts
In the case of free or reduced price school breakfasts under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771), subsection (b) of section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758), as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, shall apply.
(b) Conforming amendments
(1)
Section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758) is amended—
(A)
in subsection (c), in the third sentence, by striking or at a reduced cost
; and
(B)
in subsection (e), by striking , reduced price,
.
(2)
Paragraph (2) of section 11(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1759a(a)) is repealed.
(3)
Clauses (i) and (ii) of section 11(a)(3)(A) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1759a(a)(3)(A)) are repealed.
(4)
Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769i) is amended—
(A)
by striking subsection (b); and
(B)
by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b).
Sec. 103. Price for a paid lunch
Section 12 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (l)(4)—
(A)
by striking subparagraph (D); and
(B)
by redesignating subparagraphs (E) through (M) as subparagraphs (D) through (L), respectively;
(2)
by striking subsection (p); and
(3)
by redesignating subsections (q) and (r) as subsections (p) and (q), respectively.
Title II Addressing School Meal Debt
Sec. 201. Reimbursement of school meal delinquent debt program
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Delinquent debt
The term delinquent debt means the debt owed by a parent or guardian of a child to a school—
(A)
as of the effective date specified in section 2; and
(B)
for meals served by the school under the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
(2) Program
The term program means the program established under subsection (b)(1).
(3) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(b) Reimbursement program
(1) Establishment
Not later than 60 days after the effective date specified in section 2, the Secretary shall establish a program under which the Secretary shall reimburse each school participating in the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) for all delinquent debt.
(2) Form for reimbursement
To carry out the program, the Secretary shall design and distribute a form to State agencies to collect data on all delinquent debt in applicable schools in the State, grouped by school food authority.
(3) Completion date
The Secretary shall provide all reimbursements under the program not later than 180 days after the effective date specified in section 2.
(c) Report
Not later than 2 years after the effective date specified in section 2, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a report that describes the successes and challenges of the program.
(d) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.
Sec. 202. No collection of debt
(a) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or any other provision of law, effective beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, as a condition of participation in the school lunch program under that Act, a school—
(1)
shall not collect any debt owed to the school for unpaid lunch charges; and
(2)
shall continue to accrue debt for unpaid lunch charges—
(A)
for the purpose of receiving reimbursement under section 201; and
(B)
until the effective date specified in section 2.
(b) National School Lunch Act amendment
Section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758) is amended by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
(d) No collection of debt
A school participating in the school lunch program under this Act shall not collect any debt owed to the school for unpaid lunch charges.