Rep. Hayes Introduces Bill to Help More Students Get Free School Meals Automatically
This bill is currently sitting in the House Committee on Education and Workforce. No action has been taken on the bill since December 2025, which means it has been inactive for six months. The committee must review the bill before it can move forward, but it is common for bills to stall at this stage.
Most bills introduced in the House face a long road to becoming law, especially if they require new spending and lack a large group of bipartisan supporters.
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 5407 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 5407 (118th) →Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Students in low-income families would benefit the most. Many children who currently qualify for free school meals but are not enrolled due to paperwork hurdles would gain automatic access. Schools in high-poverty areas also get more flexibility to offer free meals to all students through an improved Community Eligibility Provision.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Congresswoman Jahana Hayes and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar have introduced the School MEALS Act of 2025, which aims to expand free school meals access by making changes to Direct Certification and the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The bill provides $25 million for program improvements.
While focusing on state-level legislation (HB 1082), the report highlights the broader movement to expand free school meals. It notes that federal efforts like the School MEALS Act aim to reduce administrative hurdles and ensure students in high-need districts are fed and prepared for success.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
School MEALS Act of 2025
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