Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act of 2026
Excludes certain military housing allowances from school meal income calculations and requires a report on direct certification for military children.
In the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee since Sept. 24, 2026, 11 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 24, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- SENATESENATE—
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
School meal eligibility depends in part on household income. The bill would exclude certain military housing allowance payments from that calculation. It would also require a report on whether children in military households could be certified for free or reduced-price school meals without applying.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Exclude certain housing allowances from income
The bill would amend the school lunch law to exclude certain Basic Allowance for Housing payments from household income calculations used for school meal eligibility.
- Require a direct-certification feasibility report
The Agriculture Secretary, consulting with the Defense Secretary, would report on the feasibility and cost of certifying children in uniformed-service households for free or reduced-price school meals without an application. The report would assess options including sharing data used to calculate the basic needs allowance and excluding non-service-member income from household income calculations.
The bill addresses how military housing support is counted when deciding eligibility for school meals and whether eligible children in military households could be identified without a separate application. The report would also examine the feasibility and cost of those approaches.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 24, 2026SENATESEP 24, 2026By Sen. Kim with 1 original cosponsorReferred to Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
- SAME DAYNOWSenate committeeSEP 24, 2026AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, & FORESTRY NOWSEP 24, 2026In committee for 11 daysNo hearing yet
- 11 DAYS SO FARPassed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- House committee—HOUSE—
- Passed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 242026SEP 24, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- SEP 242026SEP 24, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
At day 11, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
Where your members stand on it
Support from one state
Plus the sponsor, a Democrat. Every cosponsor is from one party.
Plus the sponsor, a Democrat. Every cosponsor is from one party.
Sen. Kim’s record: sponsored 48 bills this Congress. 0 passed the Senate; 0 became law.
- Martin HeinrichD-NMORIGINAL
What readers think
Discussion
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