I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7639 
To establish a National Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt in 
Child Nutrition Programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 12, 2024 
Ms. OMAR (for herself, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. BOWMAN, Mr. CARSON, Ms. GARCIA 
of Texas, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. MCGOVERN, 
Ms. NORTON, Ms. PORTER, Ms. SALINAS, Mr. TAKANO, Ms. TLAIB, Ms. 
VELA´ZQUEZ, and Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish a National Advisory Council on Unpaid School 
Meal Debt in Child Nutrition Programs, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Advisory 
Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON UNPAID SCHOOL 
MEAL 
DEBT 
IN 
CHILD 
NUTRITION 
PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a Na-
tional Advisory Council on Unpaid School Meal Debt in 
Child Nutrition Programs (in this section referred to as 
the ‘‘Council’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The Council shall provide rec-
ommendations, in accordance with subsection (g), to the 
Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service with re-
spect to addressing unpaid school meal fees by ensuring 
that— 
(1) students are not stigmatized; and 
(2) school food authorities can maintain fiscal 
solvency in order to ensure the long-term viability of 
school meal programs. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Council 
shall be composed of 14 members appointed by the 
Secretary as follows: 
(A) 2 members shall be school nutrition 
State agency directors who are employed in dif-
ferent States; 
(B) 2 members shall be school food service 
directors of a school meal program in an urban 
area who are employed in different States; 
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(C) 2 members shall be school food service 
directors of a school meal program in a rural 
area who are employed in different States; 
(D) 2 members shall be officials of the 
Food and Nutrition Service office of the De-
partment of Agriculture; 
(E) 2 members shall be parents or guard-
ians (who are not related to one another or to 
the same child) of children who are eligible for 
free and reduced price school meals; 
(F) 2 members shall represent organiza-
tions with expertise in the school meal pro-
grams; and 
(G) 2 members shall be food service profes-
sionals who— 
(i) work in school cafeterias; and 
(ii) maintain daily contact with stu-
dents, including by preparing or serving 
meals or working at registers. 
(2) TERMS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each member shall be 
appointed for the life of the Council. 
(B) VACANCIES.—Any member appointed 
to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration 
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of the life of the Council shall be appointed for 
the remainder of the life of the Council. 
(d) COMPENSATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Members shall serve without 
pay. 
(2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.— Each member shall 
receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(3) PARENTS OR GUARDIANS.—In the case of a 
member who is a parent or guardian appointed 
under subsection (c)(1)(E), such member, in addi-
tion to reimbursement under paragraph (2), shall, at 
the discretion of the Secretary, be compensated in 
advance for other personal expenses related to par-
ticipation on the Council, including child care ex-
penses and lost wages during scheduled Council 
meetings. 
(4) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection $1,500,000, to remain available 
through the date described in subsection (h). 
(e) CHAIRPERSON; VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 
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(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for election to 
Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Council, an 
individual must be a member of the Council de-
scribed in subsection (c)(1). 
(2) ELECTION.—The Chairperson and Vice 
Chairperson of the Council shall be elected by such 
members. 
(f) MEETINGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall meet not 
fewer than 2 times per year at the call of the Chair-
person. 
(2) QUORUM.—5 members of the Council shall 
constitute a quorum. 
(g) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after 
the establishment of the Council under subsection 
(a), the Council shall submit to the Administrator of 
the Food and Nutrition Service a report containing 
the recommendations described in subsection (b). 
(2) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 1 year after 
the submission of the report under paragraph (1), 
the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of 
the Food and Nutrition Service, shall use the rec-
ommendations contained in such report to issue 
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guidance with respect to addressing unpaid school 
meal fees. 
(h) TERMINATION.—The Council shall terminate on 
the date that is 1 day after the submission of the report 
required under subsection (g). 
(i) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
provide the Council with such technical and other assist-
ance, including secretarial and clerical assistance, as may 
be required to carry out its functions. 
(j) UNPAID SCHOOL MEAL FEES DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘unpaid school meal fees’’ means out-
standing fees owed by a household to a local educational 
agency for lunches under this Act or breakfasts under sec-
tion 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
1773). 
Æ 
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