I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4065 
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish 
a pilot program for serving meals in community colleges, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 25, 2019 
Mr. SCHIFF (for himself, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Ms. SEWELL of Ala-
bama, Ms. PRESSLEY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. CARSON of Indi-
ana, Mr. COX of California, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. ESHOO, 
Mr. CA´RDENAS, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Ms. PORTER, and Mrs. TORRES of Cali-
fornia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
Act to establish a pilot program for serving meals in 
community colleges, 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 ‘‘Food for Thought Act 
of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. SCHOOL LUNCH IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE PILOT 
PROGRAM. 
Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is amended by inserting be-
fore subsection (b) the following: 
‘‘(a) SCHOOL
LUNCH
IN
COMMUNITY
COLLEGE 
PILOT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator of the Food and Nu-
trition Service, shall carry out a program to 
make grants to community colleges to provide 
free meals, including snacks, to eligible stu-
dents, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) AWARD REQUIREMENTS.—In award-
ing grants under this subsection, the Secretary 
shall make grants to community colleges that 
reflect varying student body size, full-time stu-
dent enrollment, geographic location, including 
urban, rural, or suburban campuses, minority 
serving institutions, residential character, in-
cluding race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic 
status. 
‘‘(C) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—A grant under 
this subsection may not be in an amount great-
er than $200,000. 
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‘‘(D) 
PRIORITY.—In 
awarding 
grants 
under this subsection, the Secretary may give 
priority to community colleges— 
‘‘(i) with prepared food infrastructure 
or can identify an outside source of sup-
port to develop such infrastructure; 
‘‘(ii) that serve more than 300 stu-
dents who are eligible for Federal Pell 
Grants; or 
‘‘(iii) that are located within proximity 
of a school that elects to receive special as-
sistance 
payments 
under 
section 
11(a)(1)(F) of the Richard B. Russell Na-
tional School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
1759a(a)(1)(F)). 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this subsection, a community college 
shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Secretary may require, including the 
number of students such community college will 
serve under the grant. 
‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A community college 
that receives a grant under this subsection shall 
use the grant to— 
‘‘(i) provide free meals, including 
snacks, to eligible students; 
‘‘(ii) conduct outreach to students to 
encourage participation in the free meal 
program; 
‘‘(iii) prepare meals; 
‘‘(iv) purchase meals from vendors; 
and 
‘‘(v) provide information to students 
regarding eligibility for assistance under 
Federal food assistance programs. 
‘‘(B) 
LIMITATION
ON
PURCHASE
OF 
EQUIPMENT.—A community college that re-
ceives a grant under this subsection may use 
not more than 20 percent of such grant to pur-
chase equipment to carry out the activities de-
scribed in clauses (i) through (iv) of subpara-
graph (A). 
‘‘(4) REQUIREMENTS.—Meals served by a com-
munity college pursuant to a grant under this sub-
section shall meet the requirements developed under 
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the dietary guidelines required under paragraph 
(5)(C). 
‘‘(5) REPORT.—Each community college that 
receives a grant under this section shall, not later 
than 18 months after receiving such a grant, submit 
a report to the Secretary of Education that in-
cludes— 
‘‘(A) the prevalence of food insecurity with 
respect to students enrolled in such community 
college; and 
‘‘(B) an evaluation of the use of grant 
finds by such community college in addressing 
such food insecurity. 
‘‘(6) DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(A) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the 
grant program under this subsection, the Sec-
retary shall consult with community colleges, 
State educational agencies, and State boards of 
higher education. 
‘‘(B) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Not later 
than 120 days after the date of the enactment 
of this subsection, the Secretary, acting through 
the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition 
Service, shall provide technical assistance to 
community colleges to— 
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‘‘(i) as applicable, develop prepared 
meal infrastructure; 
‘‘(ii) carry out the activities described 
in paragraph (3), including training the 
employees of the community college to 
carry out such activities; and 
‘‘(iii) develop outreach to students 
with respect to such activities. 
‘‘(C) DIETARY
GUIDELINES.—Not later 
than 120 days after the date of the enactment 
of this subsection, the Secretary shall develop 
nutritional requirements for meals served pur-
suant to a grant under this subsection that are 
consistent with the goals of the most recent Di-
etary Guidelines for Americans published under 
section 301 of the National Nutrition Moni-
toring and Related Research Act of 1990 (7 
U.S.C. 5341). 
‘‘(D) STUDY.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of the enactment of this subsection, 
the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
that includes— 
‘‘(i) an evaluation of the pilot pro-
gram under this subsection; and 
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‘‘(ii) recommendations with respect to 
expanding the pilot program under this 
subsection. 
‘‘(7) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 and 
each of the succeeding 3 fiscal years. 
‘‘(8) COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEFINED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘community college’ means a 
public institution of higher education as defined in 
section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) that— 
‘‘(A) does not provide an educational pro-
gram for which the institution awards a bach-
elor’s degree (or an equivalent degree); and 
‘‘(B) predominately awards associate’s de-
grees.’’. 
Æ 
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