H.R. 9164

119 HR 9164 IH: Funding Refrigeration Equipment for Student Health Act of 2026
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-06-04
 text/xml
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 9164  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   June 4, 2026   Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania  (for himself and  Mr. Courtney ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Education and Workforce    A BILL
To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to eligible entities to acquire and install milk storage-related equipment for use in elementary schools and secondary schools, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Funding Refrigeration Equipment for Student Health Act of 2026   or the   FRESH Act  .
2.
Milk storage equipment grant program
(a)
In general
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
30.
Milk storage equipment grant program
(a)
Program established
The Secretary shall carry out a program to make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to acquire and install cold storage equipment for storing milk or milk dispensers for use in elementary schools and secondary schools.
(b)
Application
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(c)
Federal share
The Federal share of a project carried out using a grant awarded under this section shall not be greater than 75 percent.
(d)
Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
Eligible entity
The term  eligible entity  means—
(A)
a local educational agency or a school food authority administering or operating a school meal program;
(B)
a tribal organization; or
(C)
a consortium that includes a local educational agency or school food authority described in subparagraph (A), a tribal organization, or both.
(2)
ESEA terms
The terms  elementary school ,  local educational agency , and  secondary school  have the meaning given those terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ).
(3)
Milk dispenser
The term  milk dispenser  means a machine that stores and chills milk in bulk at a consistent temperature and allows a user to dispense the milk directly into a cup or other container.
(4)
School food authority
The term  school food authority  has the meaning given the term in section 210.2 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
(5)
Tribal organization
The term  tribal organization  has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 ).
 .
(b)
Conforming amendment
Section 3 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1752 ) is amended by striking  sections 13 and 17  and inserting  sections 13, 17, and 30 .