A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
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 legislation, known as the Food for Thought Act of 2026, allows the Secretary of Agriculture to provide competitive grants to certain colleges and universities so they can offer free meals and snacks to low-income students. Eligible schools include community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and historically Black colleges and universities. Participating institutions must provide between one and ten free meals per week to qualifying students, while also helping them connect with other support programs like SNAP. Schools are required to submit reports evaluating how the grants helped address food insecurity and student completion rates. The bill also protects these free meal benefits from being counted as financial assistance that could reduce a student's eligibility for other aid.
Yes· 3 of 11
- Scored +7
Would students be better off under this?
Low-income college students receive essential nutritional assistance, reduced basic-needs insecurity, and protection of their financial aid eligibility.
- Scored +6
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Young adults attending community colleges and minority-serving institutions directly benefit from free meal programs and SNAP outreach.
- Scored +6
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Low-income students and their households receive direct relief through free meals and assistance accessing federal benefits like SNAP.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Under Section 2, creating a program to award grants to colleges allows institutions to provide free meals and snacks directly to low-income students, which helps individuals struggling to afford food while pursuing their education.
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Under Section 2, participating schools are required to inform students about their potential eligibility for other benefit programs like SNAP, which helps people access additional government support systems they might not have known about.
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Under Section 2, priority for receiving grants is given to community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal colleges and universities, and other minority-serving institutions, ensuring that historically underfunded schools and their students receive targeted support.
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Under Section 3, benefits received under this meal program will not be treated as other financial assistance, ensuring that receiving free meals will not negatively impact a student's eligibility for other forms of financial aid.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Under Section 2, grants awarded under the program are limited to a duration of not exceed 2 years, which means the funding and the free meal programs it supports are temporary for participating institutions.
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Under Section 2, schools are strictly limited to using not more than 20 percent of the grant to purchase equipment, which could create a burden for institutions that need to invest heavily in kitchen or food service infrastructure to actually prepare the meals.
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 students be better off under this? — Low-income college students receive essential nutritional assistance, reduced basic-needs insecurity, and protection of their financial aid eligibility. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income students and their households receive direct relief through free meals and assistance accessing federal benefits like SNAP. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Young adults attending community colleges and minority-serving institutions directly benefit from free meal programs and SNAP outreach. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Historically Black colleges and universities are given priority for grant awards, directly supporting Black students facing food insecurity. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Hispanic-serving institutions are prioritized for grant funding, helping Hispanic students access free meals and support. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Tribal colleges and universities are prioritized for grant awards, providing critical nutritional support to Native American students.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — By offering free meals and snacks and ensuring these benefits do not reduce other financial aid, the bill lowers the cost of attending college for low-income students. Does this put more money into public schools? — The legislation provides competitive grants to certain colleges and universities to fund free meal programs for low-income students. Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay? — Ensuring that free meal benefits do not count as other financial assistance protects students' overall aid packages and helps reduce reliance on loans.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill helps low-income college students alleviate food insecurity by providing free meals and snacks.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Participating schools and the Secretary of Agriculture are required to submit detailed evaluation reports assessing food insecurity and degree completion rates.
- 9/17/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Peter WelchDemocrat · Vermont