[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7639 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7639

To establish a National Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt in 
           Child Nutrition Programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 12, 2024

Ms. Omar (for herself, Ms. Adams, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Carson, Ms. Garcia of 
Texas, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. McGovern, Ms. 
Norton, Ms. Porter, Ms. Salinas, Mr. Takano, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Velazquez, 
   and Mrs. Watson Coleman) introduced the following bill; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a National Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt in 
           Child Nutrition Programs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Advisory Council on Unpaid 
School Meal Debt Act''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON UNPAID SCHOOL MEAL DEBT IN CHILD 
              NUTRITION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a National Advisory 
Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt in Child Nutrition Programs (in this 
section referred to as the ``Council'').
    (b) Duties.--The Council shall provide recommendations, in 
accordance with subsection (g), to the Administrator of the Food and 
Nutrition Service with respect to addressing unpaid school meal fees by 
ensuring that--
            (1) students are not stigmatized; and
            (2) school food authorities can maintain fiscal solvency in 
        order to ensure the long-term viability of school meal 
        programs.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Council shall be composed 
        of 14 members appointed by the Secretary as follows:
                    (A) 2 members shall be school nutrition State 
                agency directors who are employed in different States;
                    (B) 2 members shall be school food service 
                directors of a school meal program in an urban area who 
                are employed in different States;
                    (C) 2 members shall be school food service 
                directors of a school meal program in a rural area who 
                are employed in different States;
                    (D) 2 members shall be officials of the Food and 
                Nutrition Service office of the Department of 
                Agriculture;
                    (E) 2 members shall be parents or guardians (who 
                are not related to one another or to the same child) of 
                children who are eligible for free and reduced price 
                school meals;
                    (F) 2 members shall represent organizations with 
                expertise in the school meal programs; and
                    (G) 2 members shall be food service professionals 
                who--
                            (i) work in school cafeterias; and
                            (ii) maintain daily contact with students, 
                        including by preparing or serving meals or 
                        working at registers.
            (2) Terms.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for 
                the life of the Council.
                    (B) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a 
                vacancy occurring before the expiration of the life of 
                the Council shall be appointed for the remainder of the 
                life of the Council.
    (d) Compensation.--
            (1) In general.--Members shall serve without pay.
            (2) Travel expenses.-- Each member shall receive travel 
        expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
        accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of 
        chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
            (3) Parents or guardians.--In the case of a member who is a 
        parent or guardian appointed under subsection (c)(1)(E), such 
        member, in addition to reimbursement under paragraph (2), 
        shall, at the discretion of the Secretary, be compensated in 
        advance for other personal expenses related to participation on 
        the Council, including child care expenses and lost wages 
        during scheduled Council meetings.
            (4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $1,500,000, to 
        remain available through the date described in subsection (h).
    (e) Chairperson; Vice Chairperson.--
            (1) Eligibility.--To be eligible for election to 
        Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Council, an individual 
        must be a member of the Council described in subsection (c)(1).
            (2) Election.--The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the 
        Council shall be elected by such members.
    (f) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Council shall meet not fewer than 2 
        times per year at the call of the Chairperson.
            (2) Quorum.--5 members of the Council shall constitute a 
        quorum.
    (g) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the 
        establishment of the Council under subsection (a), the Council 
        shall submit to the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition 
        Service a report containing the recommendations described in 
        subsection (b).
            (2) Guidance.--Not later than 1 year after the submission 
        of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary, acting 
        through the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service, 
        shall use the recommendations contained in such report to issue 
        guidance with respect to addressing unpaid school meal fees.
    (h) Termination.--The Council shall terminate on the date that is 1 
day after the submission of the report required under subsection (g).
    (i) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide the Council 
with such technical and other assistance, including secretarial and 
clerical assistance, as may be required to carry out its functions.
    (j) Unpaid School Meal Fees Defined.--In this section, the term 
``unpaid school meal fees'' means outstanding fees owed by a household 
to a local educational agency for lunches under this Act or breakfasts 
under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).
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