H.R. 9587 – Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026

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Updated July 7, 2026 at 8:52 AM UTC

The Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026 amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to broaden the summer food service program. It makes every child eligible for summer meals, allows meals to be served individually rather than only in group settings, and directs states to focus on areas without existing congregate services. The bill also requires the USDA to issue new regulations within a year to implement these changes and ensure program integrity.

Key Provisions

All children become eligible to participate in the summer food service program.
Meals may be provided in a non‑congregate (individual) format, and states must identify areas lacking congregate service to prioritize non‑congregate meals there.
Requirements that limited meals to certain groups or conditions are removed, allowing meals to be served to all children.
The Secretary of Agriculture must issue new regulations within one year to guide the changes, ensure the integrity of non‑congregate meals, and incorporate lessons from past demonstration projects.
Technical language in the law is updated to reflect the new eligibility and non‑congregate provisions, and related payment language is simplified.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Education and Workforce Committee

July 2, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 2, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Education and Workforce Committee

July 2, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued July 2, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 9587

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 2, 2026

Mrs. McIver (for herself and Mrs. Hayes) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

A BILL

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to eliminate certain requirements under the summer food service program for children, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Summer Meals Reaching Every Area’s Child Hunger Act of 2026 or the Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026.

2.

Summer food service program for children amendments

(a)

In general

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

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in paragraph (1)(D), by inserting , except that meals may be noncongregate before the period at the end;

(B)

in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following:

(C)

Eligibility

All children shall be eligible to participate in the program under this section.

;

(C)

in paragraph (3)—

(i)

in subparagraph (C)(ii), by striking and;

(ii)

in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(iii)

by adding at the end the following:

(E)

conduct food service monitoring onsite or offsite.

;

(D)

in paragraph (5), by striking only for and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting for meals served to all children.; and

(E)

in paragraph (13)—

(i)

by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:

(A)

In general

Beginning not later than the first summer that begins after the date of the enactment of the Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026, program meals under this section may be made available for noncongregate consumption.

;

(ii)

by striking subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (F);

(iii)

by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

(B)

Priority

States shall—

(i)

identify areas with no congregate meal service that could benefit the most from the provision of noncongregate meals; and

(ii)

encourage participating service institutions in those areas to provide noncongregate meals as appropriate.

;

(iv)

by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (C); and

(v)

by adding at the end the following:

(D)

Regulations

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations (which shall include interim final regulations) to carry out the amendments made by such Act to this section, including provisions to—

(i)

ensure the integrity of noncongregate meals; and

(ii)

to incorporate best practices and lessons learned from—

(I)

noncongregate demonstration projects under section 749(g) of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (Public Law 111–80; 123 Stat. 2132); and

(II)

the noncongregate meals provided pursuant to this paragraph prior to the date of the enactment of the Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026.

; and

(2)

in subsection (f)(3), by striking , except that and all that follows through section.

(b)

Regulations

The Secretary shall issue or revise regulations in accordance with the amendments made by this section, including paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 225.15(d) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations.

(c)

Conforming amendment

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

(1)

by striking paragraph (2); and

(2)

by striking (c)(1) Payments and inserting the following:

(c)

Payments

.