I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9222 
To create a new Federal grant program that provides grants to State libraries 
to allow schools with summer lunch programs to keep their libraries 
open for student use during the summer months. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 30, 2024 
Mr. MORELLE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To create a new Federal grant program that provides grants 
to State libraries to allow schools with summer lunch 
programs to keep their libraries open for student use 
during the summer months. 
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 ‘‘Summer Meals and 
Learning Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ELIGIBLE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.— 
The term ‘‘eligible local educational agency’’ means 
a local educational agency, as defined in section 
8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)— 
(A) that serves lunch at a school served by 
the local educational agency during the summer 
as part of— 
(i) the summer food service program 
for children established under section 13 of 
the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761); or 
(ii) the seamless summer option au-
thorized by section 13(a)(8) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1761(a)(8)); and 
(B) where at least 50 percent of the stu-
dents in grades prekindergarten through grade 
3 at such school— 
(i) are reading below grade level at 
grade 3; or 
(ii) are at risk of reading below grade 
level at grade 3. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
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(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States of the United States, the District 
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the North-
ern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States 
Virgin Islands. 
(4) STATE
LIBRARY
ADMINISTRATIVE
AGEN-
CY.—The term ‘‘State library administrative agen-
cy’’ has the meaning given the term in section 213 
of the Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 
9122). 
(5) SUMMER EARLY READING PROGRAM.—The 
term ‘‘summer early reading program’’ means a pro-
gram held in the summer, and not less than 6 weeks 
in duration, that— 
(A) is held at a school with a summer 
lunch site described in paragraph (1)(A); and 
(B) provides students participating in the 
lunch program— 
(i) access to the school library; and 
(ii) literacy activities or expanded 
learning opportunities at the school. 
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SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR SUMMER EARLY READING PROGRAMS 
AT SUMMER MEAL SITES. 
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From amounts made 
available under subsection (f) for a fiscal year, the Sec-
retary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to State 
library administrative agencies to enable the State library 
administrative agencies to award subgrants to eligible 
local educational agencies for summer early reading pro-
grams. 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—A State library administrative 
agency desiring a grant under this section shall submit 
an application at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may require. 
Each application shall include— 
(1) how the State library administrative agency 
will award subgrants described in subsection (d), in-
cluding any priorities or considerations that the 
State library administrative agency will apply in 
making such awards, with an emphasis toward sup-
porting eligible local educational agencies with a dis-
proportionately high ratio of students served at 
school lunch sites described in section 2(1)(A) to 
such school lunch sites; 
(2) how the State library administrative agency 
will disseminate, in a timely manner, information re-
garding the subgrants described in subsection (d) 
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and the application process for such subgrants to eli-
gible local educational agencies; 
(3) the criteria that the State library adminis-
trative agency will require for the summer early 
reading programs, including the minimum number 
of hours that the school library shall remain acces-
sible and any other criteria regarding the activities 
to be offered; and 
(4) an assurance from the State library admin-
istrative agency that each eligible local educational 
agency that receives a subgrant will provide a sum-
mer early reading program at each school lunch site 
served by the local educational agency. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—A State library administrative 
agency receiving a grant under this section shall use grant 
funds to award subgrants to eligible local educational 
agencies under subsection (d). 
(d) SUBGRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State library adminis-
trative agency receiving a grant under this section 
shall award subgrants, on a competitive basis, to eli-
gible local educational agencies to enable the eligible 
local educational agencies to provide summer early 
reading programs. 
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