School Food Modernization Act
Bill journey · stage 2 of 5
Under committee review
What it doesSummary introduced in house (Jul 29, 2015)
School Food Modernization Act
This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to direct the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue loan guarantees to local educational agencies (LEAs), school food authorities, and other eligible entities to finance infrastructure improvements or equipment purchases to facilitate their provision of healthy meals through the school lunch program. USDA must give preference to applicants that demonstrate a substantial or disproportionate need for food service infrastructure or durable equipment, and shall establish fees for the loan guarantee program that are sufficient to cover the federal government's administrative costs in operating the program.
USDA must also award competitive matching grants to assist LEAs, school food authorities, and other eligible entities in purchasing the durable equipment and infrastructure they need to serve healthier meals and improve food safety. In doing so, USDA must give grant priority to applicants that: (1) have identified and are reasonably expected to meet an unmet local or community need, and (2) are located in states that have enacted funding measures to assist them with such purchases.
In addition, USDA must award competitive matching grants to experienced third-party training institutions to provide school food service personnel with the training and technical assistance they need to: (1) meet school lunch program nutrition standards, and (2) improve the efficacy and efficiency of the school lunch and breakfast programs.
The bill authorizes these grant and loan programs through FY2021 and, as an offset, rescinds $35 million of the Department of Education's unobligated balance available for administrative expenses. USDA must complete a study on the use of state administrative expense funds.
What just happenedNov 16, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
Who’s behind it
- Introduced in HouseJul 29, 2015
- Nov 16, 2015Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee - Jul 29, 2015IntroReferralH11100
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Appropriations Committee - Jul 29, 2015IntroReferralH11100
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Agriculture Committee - Jul 29, 2015IntroReferralH11100-A
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Jul 29, 2015IntroReferralH11100
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Education and the Workforce Committee - Jul 29, 2015IntroReferralIntro-H
Introduced in House
- Jul 29, 2015IntroReferral1000
Introduced in House