H.R. 783 – Summer Meals Act of 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 10:10 PM UTC

The Summer Meals Act of 2021 amends the National School Lunch Act to make summer meal programs more efficient and accessible. It lowers the participation threshold for schools, expands year‑round meal service options, creates grant funding for innovative delivery in hard‑to‑reach areas, and changes rules about a third meal. The changes affect schools, nonprofit food service agencies, and children who receive meals during summer and school breaks.

Key Provisions

Reduces the required participation rate from 50% to 40% for schools to qualify for summer meals funding.
Allows public and private nonprofit school food authorities to provide seamless summer or vacation meals year‑round, and permits other service institutions to be reimbursed for up to one meal and one snack during after‑school hours, weekends, and holidays.
Creates a competitive grant program (up to $10 million per fiscal year) for service institutions to improve nutrition in underserved, hard‑to‑reach areas using innovative transportation and mobile meal trucks, with priority for sites serving both breakfast and lunch or offering educational programs.
Revises the “third meal” rule by removing the limitation that only lunch may be served, expanding options for additional meals.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseFloor Latest Action

ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORHIP - Mr. Larsen (WA) asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 783, a bill originally introduced by Representative Young, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.

July 29, 2022 • 8:28 PM

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 3, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Education and Workforce Committee

February 3, 2021

HouseFloor

ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORHIP - Mr. Larsen (WA) asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 783, a bill originally introduced by Representative Young, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.

July 29, 2022 • 8:28 PM

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 783 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Rick LarsenD-WA-2 · Jul 29, 2022

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I may hereafter be considered to be the first sponsor of H.R. 783, a bill originally introduced by Representative Young of Alaska for the purposes of…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 3, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 783

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 3, 2021

Mr. Young (for himself and Mr. Larsen of Washington) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

A BILL

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to improve the efficiency of summer meals.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Summer Meals Act of 2021.

2.

Summer food service program for children

(a)

Better integrate summer education and summer meals program

Section 13(a)(1)(A)(i) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(a)(1)(A)(i)) is amended by striking 50 percent each place it appears and inserting 40 percent.

(b)

Reduce red tape for public-Private partnerships

Section 13(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (8) and inserting the following:

(8)

Year-round meal service

(A)

Seamless summer option for schools

Except as otherwise determined by the Secretary, a service institution that is a public or private nonprofit school food authority may provide summer or school vacation food service in accordance with applicable provisions of law governing the school lunch program established under this Act or the school breakfast program established under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.).

(B)

Year-round meal service for other service institutions

Each service institution (other than a service institution described in subparagraph (A)), in addition to being eligible for reimbursement for meals described in subsection (b)(2) served during each day of operation during the periods described in subsection (c)(1), may be reimbursed for up to 1 meal and 1 snack per child served during each day of operation during—

(i)

afterschool hours;

(ii)

weekends; and

(iii)

school holidays during the regular school calendar.

.

(c)

Improve nutrition in underserved, hard-To-Reach areas

Section 13(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(a)) is amended—

(1)

by striking paragraphs (9) and (10) and inserting the following:

(9)

Improve nutrition in underserved, hard-to-reach areas

(A)

In general

Subject to the availability of appropriations provided in advance in an appropriations Act specifically for the purpose of carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary may award competitive grants to service institutions selected by the Secretary to increase participation in the program at congregate feeding sites through—

(i)

innovative approaches to limited transportation; and

(ii)

mobile meal trucks.

(B)

Eligibility

To be selected to receive a grant under this paragraph, a service institution—

(i)

may be located in any State; and

(ii)

shall—

(I)

submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require;

(II)

meet criteria established by the Secretary; and

(III)

agree to the terms and conditions of the grant, as established by the Secretary.

(C)

Priority

In awarding grants under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give priority to service institutions that—

(i)

serve both breakfast and lunch; or

(ii)

offer educational or enrichment programs.

(D)

Travel reimbursement

A service institution that receives a grant under subparagraph (A)(i) may use grant funds to provide reimbursement for travel to satellite congregate feeding sites.

(E)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to make competitive grants under this paragraph $10,000,000 for each fiscal year.

; and

(2)

by redesignating paragraphs (11) and (12) as paragraphs (10) and (11), respectively.

(d)

Third meal

Section 13(b)(2) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(b)(2)) is amended by striking only serve lunch and all that follows through migrant children may.