Rep. McIver Introduces Bill to Make Summer School Meals Free for All Children and Allow Grab-and-Go Options
The Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026 is in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the House Committee on Education and Workforce on July 1, 2026. The bill is currently stalled because it has not received a committee vote since its introduction. The House committee must decide whether to move the bill forward for further consideration.
While expanding food access is popular, making the program universal for all children is expensive and often faces strong opposition in Congress.
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 4336 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 4336 (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
The bill makes every child eligible for free summer meals, removing income or location requirements that currently limit access. It also lets kids take meals home instead of eating on site, making it far easier for working families and rural children to get food when school is out.
“All children shall be eligible to participate in the program under this section.”
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 LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) introduced the Summer Meals REACH Act to expand access to free summer meals by removing barriers for schools and community organizations. The bill permits grab-and-go services and expands eligibility to ensure no child goes hungry when school is out.
The Summer Meals REACH Act would expand access by making permanent pandemic flexibilities. Key provisions include eliminating the 50% low-income area requirement for sites and allowing all summer feeding locations to offer grab-and-go meals and remote monitoring.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.