119-hr5867

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5867 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5867

To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish 
 a pilot grant program to make grants to school food authorities to 
 provide 100 percent plant-based food and milk options, and for other 
 purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 October 28, 2025

 Ms. Velazquez (for herself, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. 
Norton, Ms. Brownley, Ms. Simon, Ms. Adams, Mr. Lieu, Mrs. McBath, and 
 Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania) 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 establish 
 a pilot grant program to make grants to school food authorities to 
 provide 100 percent plant-based food and milk options, and for other 
 purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PLANT-BASED FOODS IN SCHOOLS.

 

Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
U.S.C. 1769) is amended by adding after subsection
            (c) the following:
 ``
            (d) Pilot Grant Program for 100 Percent Plant-Based Food 
Options.--
 ``

    (1) Program authorized.--The Secretary shall establish 
 and carry out a pilot grant program to award grants to eligible 
 school food authorities to carry out the activities described 
 in paragraph

    (4) .
 ``

    (2) In general.--
 ``
        (A) Term.--The term of a grant awarded under this 
 subsection shall be 3 years.
 ``
        (B) Grant amount.--In awarding grants under this 
 subsection, the Secretary shall, to the extent 
 practicable, award grants of diverse amounts.
 ``

    (3) Application.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
 grant under this subsection, an eligible school food 
 authority shall submit to the Secretary an application 
 at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
 information as the Secretary may require, including--
 ``
            (i) a participatory evaluation plan; and
 ``
            (ii) a plan for providing culturally 
 appropriate meals.
 ``
        (B) Priority.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
 in awarding grants under this subsection, the Secretary 
 shall give priority to an eligible school food 
 authority that will use the grant funds to--
 ``
            (i) serve a high proportion of children 
 who are eligible for free or reduced price 
 meals;
 ``
            (ii) demonstrate collaboration with 
 nongovernmental and community-based 
 organizations, agricultural producers, and 
 other community partners with respect to the 
 activities described in paragraph

    (4) ;
 ``
            (iii) incorporate experiential and 
 culturally appropriate plant-based food, 
 nutrition, or agricultural education activities 
 related to 100 percent plant-based food options 
 in the classroom;
 ``
            (iv) incorporate organically produced 100 
 percent plant-based food options; and
 ``
            (v) meet any other criteria that the 
 Secretary determines appropriate.
 ``

    (4) Use of funds.--A grant awarded under this subsection 
 may be used for any of the following activities:
 ``
        (A) To contract with qualified third parties for 
 professional development training for food service 
 personnel on serving (including preparing, procuring, 
 marketing, and creating menus) 100 percent plant-based 
 food options.
 ``
        (B) To provide compensation, for each employee 
 who participates in the professional development 
 training described in subparagraph
        (A) , at the regular 
 rate of pay of such employee.
 ``
            (C) To provide technical assistance and student 
 engagement and education on 100 percent plant-based 
 food options, including providing taste tests, recipe 
 development, and culinary education.
 ``
            (D) To provide compensation for additional work 
 relating to serving meals that include a 100 percent 
 plant-based food option.
 ``
        (E) To conduct outreach to, and cover costs of 
 procurement of foods from, agricultural producers of 
 100 percent plant-based food options, including--
 ``
            (i) underserved producers;
 ``
            (ii) limited resource farmers or 
 ranchers, as defined by the Secretary;
 ``
            (iii) producers on a certified organic 
 farm; and
 ``
            (iv) local farmers.
 ``

    (5) Reports.--
 ``
        (A) Recordkeeping required.--Each eligible school 
 food authority awarded a grant under this subsection 
 shall keep records of the 100 percent plant-based food 
 options served pursuant to this subsection as the 
 Secretary determines appropriate.
 ``
        (B) Report required by school food authorities.--
 Not later than 1 year after receiving a grant under 
 this subsection, and annually for the duration of the 
 grant term described in paragraph

    (2)
        (A) , a school food 
 authority shall submit to the Secretary a report on the 
 pilot grant program, including information on--
 ``
            (i) the number of 100 percent plant-based 
 food options that the school food authority 
 served during the grant period compared with 
 the preceding school year;
 ``
            (ii) the number of schools served by the 
 school food authority pursuant to the grant;
 ``
            (iii) the number of students served by 
 the school food authority pursuant to the 
 grant; and
 ``
            (iv) how the school food authority used 
 the grant funds.
 ``
            (C) Report by secretary.--With respect to each 
 school year during which the Secretary receives the 
 report required under subparagraph
        (B) , the Secretary 
 shall, not later than 1 year after the date that is the 
 last day of such school year, submit to Congress a 
 report that includes--
 ``
            (i) a summary of the reports received 
 during such school year; and
 ``
            (ii) such information with respect to the 
 pilot program as the Secretary determines to be 
 relevant.
 ``

    (6) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide 
 technical assistance and information to assist school food 
 authorities--
 ``
        (A) to facilitate the coordination and sharing of 
 information and resources that may be applicable to the 
 activities described in paragraph

    (4) ; and
 ``
        (B) to collect and share information on best 
 practices.
 ``

    (7) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
 to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $10,000,000 for 
 fiscal year 2026, to remain available through fiscal year 2030.
 ``

    (8) === Definitions. ===
-In this subsection:
 ``
        (A) 100 percent plant-based food option.--The 
 term `100 percent plant-based food option' means a 
 breakfast or lunch meal option or component that--
 ``
            (i) includes a meat alternate as 
 described in--
 ``
            (I) section 210.10 of title 7, 
 Code of Federal Regulations (or 
 successor regulations); or
 ``
            (II) appendix A to part 210 of 7, 
 Code of Federal Regulations (or 
 successor regulations); and
 ``
            (ii) does not contain any animal products 
 or byproducts, such as meat, poultry, honey, 
 fish, dairy, or eggs.
 ``
        (B) Beginning farmer or rancher.--The term 
 `beginning farmer or rancher' has the meaning given 
 such term in 

section 343

    (a) of the Consolidated Farm 
 and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991

    (a) ).
 ``
            (C) Eligible school food authority.--The term 
 `eligible school food authority' means a school food 
 authority for which 50 percent or more of the students 
 served by such school food authority are eligible for 
 free or reduced price lunch under this Act or free or 
 reduced price breakfast under 

section 4 of the Child 
 Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).
 ``
            (D) Food, agriculture, conservation, and trade 
 act terms.--The terms `certified organic farm', 
 `organically produced', and `producer' have the 
 meanings given such terms in 

section 2103 of the Food, 
 Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 
 U.S.C. 6502).
 ``
        (E) Underserved producer.--The term `underserved 
 producer' means an individual (including a member of an 
 Indian Tribe) that is--
 ``
            (i) a beginning farmer or rancher;
 ``
            (ii) a veteran farmer or rancher; or
 ``
            (iii) a socially disadvantaged farmer or 
 rancher.
 ``
        (F) Veteran farmer or rancher.--The term `veteran 
 farmer or rancher' has the meaning given such term in 
 

section 2501

    (a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
 and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279

    (a) ).''.

SEC. 3. ACCOMMODATING DIETARY REQUIREMENTS.

 

Section 9

    (a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1758

    (a) ) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (1) --
        (A) in subparagraph
        (A) , by amending clause
            (i) to 
 read as follows:
 ``
            (i) shall not--
 ``
            (I) be construed to prohibit the 
 substitution of foods to accommodate 
 the medical needs of individual 
 students; or
 ``
            (II) be construed to prohibit the 
 nutritionally equivalent substitution 
 of foods to accommodate religiously 
 based or other special dietary needs of 
 individual students; and''; and
        (B) in subparagraph
        (B) , by striking ``lower-fat 
 versions of foods commonly used in the school lunch 
 program under this Act'' and inserting ``foods that 
 comply with the meal patterns prescribed by the 
 Secretary''; and

    (2) in paragraph

    (2) --
        (A) by amending subparagraph
        (A)
            (iii) to read as 
 follows:
 ``
            (iii) shall provide, as a reasonable 
 accommodation under the Americans with 
 Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) and 
 

section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
 (29 U.S.C. 794), a substitute for fluid milk 
 for a student whose disability restricts their 
 diet.''; and
        (B) by amending subparagraph
        (B) to read as 
 follows:
 ``
        (B) Other substitutions.--
 ``
            (i) Standards for required 
 substitution.--
 ``
            (I) Medical or other special 
 dietary need.--With respect to a 
 student for whom fluid milk is not 
 nutritionally appropriate due to a 
 medical or other special dietary need 
 other than a disability described in 
 subparagraph
        (A)
            (iii) , a school shall 
 substitute, for the fluid milk provided 
 under subparagraph
        (A) , a nondairy 
 beverage that meets the nutritional 
 needs of such student.
 ``
            (II) Written request for 
 substitution.--A school shall 
 substitute, for the fluid milk provided 
 under subparagraph
        (A) , a nondairy 
 beverage that is nutritionally 
 equivalent to fluid milk and meets 
 nutritional standards established by 
 the Secretary if the student, or parent 
 or legal guardian of such student, 
 submits a written request for such 
 substitution.
 ``
            (ii) Standards for discretionary 
 substitution.--A school may offer each student 
 a nondairy beverage as a substitute for fluid 
 milk that is nutritionally equivalent to fluid 
 milk and meets nutritional standards 
 established by the Secretary.
 ``
            (iii) Excess expenses.--Except as 
 provided under clause
            (iv) , expenses incurred 
 by providing substitutions under clauses
            (i) and
            (ii) that are in excess of expenses covered 
 by reimbursements under this Act shall be paid 
 by the school food authority.
 ``
            (iv) Pilot program.--
 ``
            (I) Program authorized.--Not 
 later than 90 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this subparagraph, the 
 Secretary shall establish and carry out 
 a pilot grant program to award grants 
 to eligible school food authorities to 
 carry out subclause
            (III) .
 ``
            (II) Priority.--In awarding 
 grants under this clause, the Secretary 
 may give priority to--
 ``

    (aa) an eligible school 
 food authority that serves high 
 proportions of students with 
 high rates of lactose 
 intolerance; and
 ``

    (bb) an eligible school 
 food authority that 
 demonstrates, as part of the 
 application for a grant under 
 this clause, a need for 
 nondairy beverages for students 
 served by such school food 
 authority due to dietary 
 reasons.
 ``
            (III) Use of funds.--A school 
 food authority shall use grant funds 
 awarded under this clause to reimburse 
 the full cost of providing nondairy 
 beverages as substitutes for fluid milk 
 under clause
            (i) 
            (I) incurred by such 
 school food authority.
 ``
            (IV) Reports.--
 ``

    (aa) Annual report by 
 school food authority.--Not 
 later than 1 year after 
 receiving a grant under this 
 clause, and on an annual basis 
 for the duration of the pilot 
 program thereafter, a school 
 food authority shall submit to 
 the Secretary a report on the 
 pilot grant program, including 
 information with respect to--

 ``

    (AA) the number 
 of schools served by 
 the school food 
 authority pursuant to 
 the grant; and

 ``

    (BB) the number 
 of students served by 
 the school food 
 authority pursuant to 
 the grant.

 ``

    (bb) Final report by 
 school food authority.--The 
 report that is the final report 
 submitted under item

    (aa) shall 
 include, in addition to the 
 information required under 
 subitems

    (AA) and

    (BB) of such 
 item--

 ``

    (AA) the number 
 of nondairy beverages 
 as substitutes for 
 fluid milk that the 
 school food authority 
 served during the grant 
 period; compared with

 ``

    (BB) the number 
 of nondairy beverages 
 as substitutes for 
 fluid milk that the 
 school food authority 
 served during the 
 school year immediately 
 preceding the start of 
 the grant period.

 ``
            (cc) Report by the 
 secretary.--Not later than 6 
 months after the date described 
 in subclause
            (V) , the Secretary 
 shall submit to Congress a 
 report that includes a summary 
 of the information included in 
 the reports received under this 
 subclause and any such 
 information with respect to the 
 pilot program the Secretary 
 determines to be relevant.
 ``
            (V) Sunset.--The authority to 
 carry out this clause shall terminate 
 on the date that is 3 years after the 
 date of the enactment of this 
 subparagraph.
 ``
            (VI) Eligible school food 
 authority defined.--In this clause, the 
 term `eligible school food authority' 
 means a school food authority for which 
 at least 50 percent of the students 
 served by such school food authority 
 are eligible for free or reduced price 
 lunch under this Act or free or reduced 
 price breakfast under 

section 4 of the 
 Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
 1773).
 ``
            (VII) Authorization of 
 appropriations.--There is authorized to 
 be appropriated to carry out this 
 clause $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, 
 to remain available until the date 
 described in subclause
            (V) .''.
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