Commissary Healthy Options and servicemember Welfare (CHOW) Act

Senate Bill

S. 2772

119th Congress

Commissary Healthy Options and servicemember Welfare (CHOW) Act

In Committee

Introduced:Sep 11, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Bob Casey

D - PA

Cosponsors

1

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Summary

This bill aims to improve how schools identify and enroll students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program. It provides grants and technical assistance to help states and tribes streamline their 'direct certification' processes, which allow schools to automatically enroll students who receive other government assistance like food stamps. The bill also expands the time frame for high-poverty schools to adopt a model that provides free meals to all students.

Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill aims to improve how schools identify and enroll students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program. It provides grants and technical assistance to help states and tribes streamline their 'direct certification' processes, which allow schools to automatically enroll students who receive other government assistance like food stamps. The bill also expands the time frame for high-poverty schools to adopt a model that provides free meals to all students.

Last updated: 12/29/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

School Modernization and Efficient Access to Lunches for Students Act of 2023 or the School MEALS Act of 2023This bill establishes programs and revises requirements relating to direct certification processes for the National School Lunch Program. Direct certification allows schools to use data matching procedures to approve school meals without the need for applications for children who receive assistance under other programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Agriculture to provide grants and technical assistance for states and tribal organizations to improve their direct certification processes, including with respect to children who receive assistance under a food distribution program on Indian reservations.The bill also expands the time frame for schools to elect and gather eligibility data for the Community Eligibility Provision that permits schools in high-poverty areas to serve free meals to all enrolled students without the need for applications.Further, the bill specifies that a state subject to a continuous improvement plan (for not directly certifying at least 95% of children eligible for direct certification because they receive SNAP benefits) must implement the improvement measures within three years.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Provides grants and technical assistance to help states and tribes improve their direct certification processes to automatically enroll students who receive SNAP or other government assistance
Expands the time frame for high-poverty schools to implement the Community Eligibility Provision, which allows them to serve free meals to all students without individual applications
Requires states that are not directly certifying at least 95% of SNAP-eligible students to implement improvement measures within 3 years

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would directly benefit low-income students and their families by making it easier for them to access free or reduced-price school meals. It could increase meal program participation and reduce administrative burdens on schools, especially in high-poverty areas. The improved direct certification processes would also ensure more eligible students receive the nutrition assistance they need.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Agriculture and Food

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

2772, 119th Congress (2025). "Commissary Healthy Options and servicemember Welfare (CHOW) Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-2772