H.R. 9587 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Education and Workforce, Jul 2, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands free summer meals for all children
The Summer Food Service Program currently provides free meals to children in low-income areas during summer break through camps and other organizations. This bill makes all children eligible to participate, not just those in low-income areas. It also allows meal sites everywhere to offer grab-and-go meals instead of requiring kids to eat together in one place, and it lets organizations monitor food service remotely instead of only in person.
How it affects you
Children and families would gain broader access to free summer meals regardless of income level. Camps and community organizations running meal programs would be able to reach more kids through grab-and-go options and have more flexibility in how they deliver and oversee meals.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jul 2, 2026)
Summer Meals Reaching Every Area's Child Hunger Act of 2026 or the Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026
This bill expands the Summer Food Service Program by permanently making all children eligible to participate in the program, requiring reimbursements to camps for meals served to all children, and allowing all locations to provide grab-and-go meal services.
This Department of Agriculture program provides free meals to children in low-income areas through eligible organizations (e.g., camps), primarily when school is not in session.
The bill permanently allows all locations to provide non-congregate meal distribution, which is meal distribution outside of the typically required group, or congregate, setting (e.g., grab-and-go meal service). Current law limits non-congregate meal distribution to rural communities without access to a congregate meal site.
Further, the bill expands eligible service institutions by permanently allowing for on-site or off-site (i.e., remote) food service monitoring.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionH. R. 9587
A BILL
Summer Meals REACH Act of 2026
Sponsor: Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10) · Introduced Jul 2, 2026 · Agriculture and Food · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 2, 2026: “Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.”