118 HR 5619 IH: Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act of 2023 U.S. House of Representatives 2023-09-21 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS1st SessionH. R. 5619IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESSeptember 21, 2023Mr. Levin (for himself and Mrs. Rodgers of Washington) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedA BILLTo amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to exclude certain military housing allowances from the calculation of household income, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act of 2023.

2.

Direct certification for children who are members of a household of a member of a uniformed service

(a)

Report

(1)

In general

Not later than October 1, 2024, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to Congress a report on the feasibility and cost of establishing procedures under which children who are members of a household of a member of a uniformed service may be certified as eligible for free or reduced price lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) and free or reduced price breakfasts under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), without further application. (2)

Contents

The report required under paragraph (1) shall evaluate a range of options for implementing direct certification, including— (A)the use and sharing of data collected for the calculation of the basic needs allowance under section 402b of title 37, United States Code, and other assistance programs for members of a uniformed service; and (B)the exclusion of non-service member income from the calculation of household income under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.). (b)

Exclusion of basic allowance for housing from income calculation

Section 9(b)(13) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(13)) is amended by striking , on behalf of and all that follows through related provision of law.