Cancellation of school meal debt

(a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall cancel and eliminate all debts owed by households as of the date of enactment of this Act for school meals under— (1) the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), including through community eligibility under section 11(a)(1)(F) of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1759a(a)(1)(F)); and (2) the school breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773). (b) Payment of cancelled debt The Secretary of Agriculture shall— (1) use the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to pay the amount of debt cancelled under subsection (a) to each local educational authority to which the debt is owed by the applicable households; and (2) provide confirmation of the cancelled debt to each applicable household. (c) Cancellation authority Section 7 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1756) is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) School meal debt cancellation authority Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary— (1) may cancel and eliminate all debts owed by households for school meals under the school lunch program under this Act and the school breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773); and (2) shall— (A) use the funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation to pay the amount of debt cancelled under paragraph (1) to each local educational authority to which the debt is owed by the applicable households; and (B) provide confirmation of the cancelled debt to each applicable household..