Nydia Velázquez (D-NY)
Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act
A Democratic bill with 20 Democratic cosponsors · See all 20 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Plant-Powered School Meals Pilot Act," seeks to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. It establishes a pilot grant program to provide school food authorities with funding to offer 100 percent plant-based food and milk options. The legislation also creates a second pilot grant program to help school food authorities cover the full cost of providing nondairy beverages as substitutes for fluid milk. Additionally, the bill updates rules regarding food substitutions for students with medical, religious, or other special dietary needs.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +5
Would children be better off under this?
The bill expands dietary options and accommodates specific medical and religious dietary needs for students.
- Scored +5
Does this put more money into public schools?
The bill authorizes $12,000,000 in total pilot grant funding for school food authorities.
- Scored +4
Would farmers be better off under this?
The bill provides opportunities for local, organic, and underserved farmers to participate in school food procurement.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Support for Plant-Based School Meals: The bill establishes a pilot grant program to help school food authorities provide 100 percent plant-based food and milk options (Section 2, paragraph (d)(1)).
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Benefits for Low-Income Students: Priority for plant-based grants may be given to authorities serving a high proportion of children eligible for free or reduced price meals (Section 2, paragraph (d)(3)(B)(i)).
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Educational Opportunities: Grant funds can be used for student engagement and education regarding plant-based options, such as taste tests and culinary education (Section 2, paragraph (d)(4)(C)).
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Support for Diverse Producers: Funds can be used to cover costs for procuring food from local farmers, organic farms, and underserved producers, including veterans and socially disadvantaged farmers (Section 2, paragraph (d)(4)(E)).
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Accommodating Dietary Needs: The bill clarifies that schools may substitute foods to accommodate the medical, religious, or other special dietary needs of individual students (Section 3, paragraph (1)(A)).
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Relief for Milk Substitution Costs: A separate pilot grant program is established to reimburse school food authorities for the full cost of providing nondairy beverages to students with specific dietary needs (Section s 3, paragraph (2)(B)(iii)(III)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Financial Burden on Schools: If expenses for providing milk substitutions exceed what is covered by reimbursements, the school food authority must pay those excess expenses (Section 3, paragraph (2)(B)(iii)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill expands dietary options and accommodates specific medical and religious dietary needs for students. Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill provides opportunities for local, organic, and underserved farmers to participate in school food procurement. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill prioritizes funding for schools with high proportions of students eligible for free or reduced price meals. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill provides new revenue opportunities for local, organic, and underserved agricultural producers. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill includes veteran farmers as part of the underserved producers that can benefit from grant-funded procurement. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill encourages the provision of culturally appropriate meals.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into public schools? — The bill authorizes $12,000,000 in total pilot grant funding for school food authorities.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill provides funds for compensating school food service employees for additional work related to plant-based meals. Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill directs funds toward local, organic, and underserved agricultural producers.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill ensures better accommodation of dietary needs through easier access to nondairy beverages in schools.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill prioritizes schools serving a high proportion of children eligible for free or reduced price meals.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power? — The bill encourages the procurement of organic and local produce.
- 7/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/24/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/13/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 1/8/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 12/16/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/18/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 11/12/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/28/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 9 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Alma AdamsDemocrat · North Carolina
Julia BrownleyDemocrat · California
André CarsonDemocrat · Indiana
Judy ChuDemocrat · California
Lloyd DoggettDemocrat · Texas
Dwight EvansDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Veronica EscobarDemocrat · Texas
Laura FriedmanDemocrat · California
Daniel GoldmanDemocrat · New York
Adelita GrijalvaDemocrat · Arizona
Henry JohnsonDemocrat · Georgia
Ted LieuDemocrat · California
James McGovernDemocrat · Massachusetts
Lucy McBathDemocrat · Georgia
Eleanor NortonDemocrat · District of Columbia
Ilhan OmarDemocrat · Minnesota
Suhas SubramanyamDemocrat · Virginia
Lateefah SimonDemocrat · California
Frederica WilsonDemocrat · Florida
Bonnie Watson ColemanDemocrat · New Jersey