Free Breakfast and Lunch for Every Public School Student
Free Breakfast and Lunch for Every Public School Student
IntroducedMay 11, 2026
In Committee6 months ago
Intro
House
Senate
Pres
In the House Education and Workforce Committee.
Most bills stop here and never get a vote.
Agriculture and Food
Why This Matters
This bill would make breakfast and lunch free for every K-12 student in a participating public school, regardless of family income, by removing the eligibility application from federal school meal programs.
If you have school-age kids or work in K-12, this bill would replace the income-tiered school meal system with universal free breakfast and lunch and wipe out existing meal debt. The bill itself does not name a funding source, so the cost would have to be appropriated separately. With only 3 Democratic sponsors so far and a Republican-controlled House, it is unlikely to advance without significant changes.
Who this affects
K-12 public school students · Families of students · School districts and food staff · Federal taxpayers
What this bill changes
1Makes every student in a participating school eligible for free breakfast and free lunch, regardless of family income.
2Eliminates the reduced-price meal tier and the income-based application process for student meals.
3Extends free meals to afterschool snack programs, summer food service, and child and adult care food programs.
