Rep. Ilhan Omar Introduces the National Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt Act

WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) today introduced the National Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt Act. The bill would establish a commission to address unpaid school meal debt in child nutrition programs by formulating policy recommendations to address school meal debt, preventing stigmatization, and ensuring the sustainability of these vital programs. The council would be composed of fourteen members, including state food service directors, experts, parents, and cafeteria employees, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. This bill was incorporated into the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, the nutrition reauthorization bill that successfully passed through the House Committee on Education and Labor in 2023. 
 
The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Reps. Adam, Bowman, Carson, Garcia(IL-04), Garcia (TX-29), Lee (CA-12), McGovern, Norton, Porter, Salinas, Takano, Tlaib, Velázquez, Watson Coleman. 
 
“School meal debt shouldn’t exist,” Rep. Omar said. “As a former nutrition educator and someone who has experienced hunger myself, I believe that every student should have access to nutritious meals, regardless of their financial circumstances. The National Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Act will help provide meaningful solutions to support students and strengthen school meal programs.”
 
"National data indicates unpaid school meal debt is a growing problem, both for working families and for school budgets," said School Nutrition Association President Chris Derico, SNS. "The end of free, healthy school meals for all students has forced school nutrition teams to balance mounting meal debt, which cuts into education funds, with the need to ensure hungry students are fed, regardless of their meal account balance. The National Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Act will help identify potential solutions to support students and guarantee the financial sustainability of critical school meal programs."
 
"The National Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt Act takes an important step to address the school meal debt that districts across the country are facing now that schools are no longer able to offer meals to all students at no charge," said Luis Guardia, president of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). "We strongly support this bill as we simultaneously work with Congresswoman Omar to enact Healthy School Meals for All to ensure that all children have access to the nutrition they need to learn and thrive."
 
Rep. Omar is a former nutrition educator, an anti-hunger activist, and a current member of the Education and Workforce Committee. In 2020, she successfully authored and passed the MEALS Act, which helped feed nearly 30 million kids during the pandemic. Together with Sen. Tina Smith, she authored the End School Lunch Shaming Act and introduced the Universal School Meals Program Act with Sen. Bernie Sanders. Last year, she also introduced the School Meals During School Closures Act. 
 

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