US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 1753

Apportionments to States

(a)
section 1752 of this title The sums appropriated for any fiscal year pursuant to the authorizations contained in shall be available to the Secretary for supplying agricultural commodities and other food for the program in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(b)
(1)
The Secretary shall make food assistance payments to each State educational agency each fiscal year, at such times as the Secretary may determine, from the sums appropriated for such purpose, in a total amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying—
(A)
section 1758(a) of this title the number of lunches (consisting of a combination of foods which meet the minimum nutritional requirements prescribed by the Secretary under ) served during such fiscal year in schools in such State which participate in the school lunch program under this chapter under agreements with such State educational agency; by
(B)
the national average lunch payment prescribed in paragraph (2) of this subsection.
(2)
section 1759a(a) of this title The national average lunch payment for each lunch served shall be 10.5 cents (as adjusted pursuant to ) except that for each lunch served in school food authorities in which 60 percent or more of the lunches served in the school lunch program during the second preceding school year were served free or at a reduced price, the national average lunch payment shall be 2 cents more.
(3)

Additional reimbursement.—

(A)

Regulations.—

(i)

Proposed regulations .—

section 1758(f) of this titlesection 1773 of this titleNotwithstanding , not later than 18 months after , the Secretary shall promulgate proposed regulations to update the meal patterns and nutrition standards for the school lunch program authorized under this chapter and the school breakfast program established by based on recommendations made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences.
(ii)

Interim or final regulations.—

(I)

In general .—

Not later than 18 months after promulgation of the proposed regulations under clause (i), the Secretary shall promulgate interim or final regulations.
(II)

Date of required compliance .—

section 1773 of this titleThe Secretary shall establish in the interim or final regulations a date by which all school food authorities participating in the school lunch program authorized under this Act and the school breakfast program established by are required to comply with the meal pattern and nutrition standards established in the interim or final regulations.
(iii)

Report to congress .—

Not later than 90 days after , and each 90 days thereafter until the Secretary has promulgated interim or final regulations under clause (ii), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a quarterly report on progress made toward promulgation of the regulations described in this subparagraph.
(B)

Performance-based reimbursement rate increase .—

Beginning on the later of the date of promulgation of the implementing regulations described in subparagraph (A)(ii), , or , the Secretary shall provide additional reimbursement for each lunch served in school food authorities determined to be eligible under subparagraph (D).
(C)

Additional reimbursement.—

(i)

In general .—

section 1759a(a)(3) of this titleEach lunch served in school food authorities determined to be eligible under subparagraph (D) shall receive an additional 6 cents, adjusted in accordance with , to the national lunch average payment for each lunch served.
(ii)

Disbursement .—

The State agency shall disburse funds made available under this paragraph to school food authorities eligible to receive additional reimbursement.
(D)

Eligible school food authority .—

To be eligible to receive an additional reimbursement described in this paragraph, a school food authority shall be certified by the State to be in compliance with the interim or final regulations described in subparagraph (A)(ii).
(E)

Failure to comply .—

Beginning on the later of the date described in subparagraph (A)(ii)(II), , or , school food authorities found to be out of compliance with the meal patterns or nutrition standards established by the implementing regulations shall not receive the additional reimbursement for each lunch served described in this paragraph.
(F)

Administrative costs.—

(i)

In general .—

Subject to clauses (ii) and (iii), the Secretary shall make funds available to States for State activities related to training, technical assistance, certification, and oversight activities of this paragraph.
(ii)

Provision of funds .—

The Secretary shall provide funds described in clause (i) to States administering a school lunch program in a manner proportional to the administrative expense allocation of each State during the preceding fiscal year.
(iii)

Funding.—

(I)

In general .—

section 1752 of this titleIn the later of the fiscal year in which the implementing regulations described in subparagraph (A)(ii) are promulgated or the fiscal year in which this paragraph is enacted, and in the subsequent fiscal year, the Secretary shall use not more than $50,000,000 of funds made available under to make payments to States described in clause (i).
(II)

Reservation .—

In providing funds to States under clause (i), the Secretary may reserve not more than $3,000,000 per fiscal year to support Federal administrative activities to carry out this paragraph.

June 4, 1946, ch. 281, § 460 Stat. 230July 12, 1952, ch. 699, § 1(a)66 Stat. 591Pub. L. 87–688, § 3(a)76 Stat. 587Pub. L. 87–823, § 276 Stat. 944Pub. L. 92–433, § 4(c)86 Stat. 726Pub. L. 93–150, § 2(a)87 Stat. 560Pub. L. 97–35, title VIII95 Stat. 521Pub. L. 101–147, title III103 Stat. 913Pub. L. 111–296, title II, § 201124 Stat. 3214(, ; , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , §§ 801(a), 819(g), , , 533; , §§ 301, 312(2), , , 916; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 111–2962010—Subsec. (b)(3). added par. (3).

Pub. L. 101–147, § 3011989—, inserted “Apportionments to States” as section catchline.

Pub. L. 101–147, § 312(2)Subsec. (b)(2). , substituted “reduced price” for “reduced-price”.

Pub. L. 97–35section 1754 of this title1981—Subsec. (a). , §§ 801(a)(1), (2), 819(g), designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), struck out exclusion of sum specified in , and struck out provisions relating to food assistance payments.

Pub. L. 97–35, § 801(a)(3)Subsec. (b). , added subsec. (b).

Pub. L. 93–1501973— increased national average food assistance payments from 8 to 10 cents per lunch.

Pub. L. 92–4331972— substituted new formula for food assistance payments to State educational agencies by taking into account the number of lunches served during the year, the children in the schools in such State participating in the school lunch program, and the national average payment per lunch set up by the Secretary, with certain limitations, for apportionment formula limiting the apportionable funds to 75 per cent of the available funds for such year, and taking into account the participation rate for the State, the need rate for the State, and providing for a method of apportionment, special provisions for disposal of excess or unused funds and for fiscal years beginning , , and fixing the funds for American Samoa at $25,000 for each year for the five fiscal years beginning .

Pub. L. 87–823section 1760(d)(7) of this titlesection 1760(d)(6)(ii) of this title1962— amended section generally, and, among other changes, substituted as factors for apportionment of funds among the States “(1) the participation rate for the State, and (2) the assistance need rate for the State” for “(1) the number of school children in the State and (2) the need for assistance in the State as indicated by the relation of the per capita income of the United States to the per capita income in the State”; inserted, in provision for determination of amount of apportionment in clause designated “second”, “(exclusive of American Samoa for periods ending before )”; inserted provisions for use of transitional formulas in apportionment of funds for fiscal years beginning in 1962, 1963, and 1964 and apportioning to American Samoa $25,000 annually for five fiscal years in period beginning and ending ; and struck out apportionment formula for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands, which limited apportionments to 3 per centum of the total fund to be apportioned but required the apportionment to each to be not less than an amount which would result in an allotment per child of school age equal to that for the State with the lowest per capita income, definition of school (incorporated in ), provision for use of latest per capita income figures certified by the Department of Commerce (incorporated in ), and definition of school children which provided that the number of school children should be the number between ages of five and seventeen.

Pub. L. 87–688 inserted “American Samoa,” after “Guam,” in two places and “the apportionment for American Samoa,” after “the apportionment for Guam,”.

1952—Act , removed Alaska and Hawaii from 3 percent limitation imposed on Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, made limitation applicable to Guam, and modified effects of 3 percent limitation.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Education and Labor of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Education and the Workforce of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, .

Effective Date of 2010 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–296section 445 of Pub. L. 111–296section 1751 of this titleAmendment by effective , except as otherwise specifically provided, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–35, title VIII, § 820(a)95 Stat. 534

“The provisions of this title shall take effect as follows:
“(1)
The amendments made by the following sections shall take effect on the first day of the month following the date of the enactment of this Act [] or on , whichever is earlier:
“(A)
section 801 [amending this section and sections 1759a and 1773 of this title];
“(B)
section 1766 of this title that portion of the amendment made by section 810(c) [amending ] pertaining to the reimbursement rate for supplements;
“(C)
section 1766 of this title that portion of the amendment made by section 810(d)(1) [amending ] pertaining to the limitation on the number of meals for which reimbursement may be made under the child care food program;
“(D)
section 1766 of this title that portion of the amendment made by section 810(d)(3) [amending ] which reduces the meal reimbursement factor by 10 percent; and
“(E)
section 1758 of this title section 811 [amending ].
“(2)
The amendments made by sections 802 and 804 [amending sections 1755 and 1756 of this title] shall take effect on .
“(3)
section 1772 of this titlesection 1766 of this title The amendments made by sections 807 [amending ], 808 [amending sections 1760 and 1784 of this title], and 810(a)(2) [amending ] shall take effect on the first day of the second month following the date of the enactment of this Act [].
“(4)
section 1788 of this titlesection 1761 of this titlesection 1766 of this titlesection 1766 of this titlesection 1766 of this titlesection 1759a of this titlesection 1776 of this titlesection 1774 of this title The amendments made by the following sections shall take effect : sections 805 [repealing sections 1754 and 1774 of this title], 806 [amending ], 809 [amending ], 810(a)(1) [amending ], 810(f) [amending ], 810(g) [amending ], 812 [amending ], 814 [amending ], 817 [enacting and amending sections 1759, 1761, 1766, 1773, and 1788 of this title], and 819 [amending this section and sections 1755, 1757, 1759a, 1760, 1762a, 1763, 1766, 1773, 1776, and 1780 of this title].
“(5)
The amendments made by section 813 [amending sections 1759a, 1760, 1762a, and 1772 of this title] shall take effect 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [].
“(6)
section 1766 of this title The amendments made by the following provisions shall take effect : subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) of section 810 [amending ], except that—
“(A)
the amendment made by section 810(c) pertaining to the reimbursement rate for supplements shall take effect as provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection;
“(B)
the amendment made by section 810(d)(1) pertaining to the limitation on the number of meals for which reimbursement may be made shall take effect as provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection; and
“(C)
the amendment made by section 810(d)(3) which reduces the meal reimbursement factor by 10 percent shall take effect as provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection.
“(7)
The following provisions shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act []:
“(A)
section 1758 of this titlesection 1758 of this title the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending ] of section 803 and the provisions of subsections (c) and (d) [amending provisions set out as notes under ] of section 803;
“(B)
section 1786 of this title the amendment made by section 815 [amending ];
“(C)
section 1785 of this title the amendment made by section 816 [amending ]; and
“(D)
the provisions of section 818.”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

Pub. L. 92–433, § 4(c)86 Stat. 726, , , provided that the amendment made by that section is effective after the fiscal year ending .

Effective Date of 1962 Amendment

Pub. L. 87–688, § 3(b)76 Stat. 587

“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 1754 and 1760 of this title] shall be applicable only with respect to funds appropriated after the date of enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1952 Amendment

Act July 12, 1952, ch. 699, § 1(d)66 Stat. 591

“The amendments made by this Act [amending this section and sections 1754 and 1760 of this title] shall be effective only with respect to funds appropriated after the date on which this Act is enacted [].”
, , provided that:

Promulgation of Regulations

Pub. L. 97–35, title VIII, § 820(c)95 Stat. 535

“Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [], the Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate regulations to implement the amendments made by this title [see Tables for classification].”
, , , provided that:

Support for Child Nutrition Programs; Temporary Reimbursements

Pub. L. 117–158, § 2(a)136 Stat. 1309

“(1)

Temporary lunch reimbursement .—

42 U.S.C. 1751Each lunch served under the school lunch program authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( et seq.) shall receive additional reimbursement in the amount of 40 cents.
“(2)

Temporary breakfast reimbursement .—

42 U.S.C. 1773Each breakfast served under the school breakfast program established by section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 () shall receive additional reimbursement in the amount of 15 cents.
“(3)

Limitation .—

The additional reimbursement amounts authorized under this subsection shall only be available for the school year beginning July 2022.
“(4)

Appropriations .—

“(A)

In general .—

There is appropriated, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as are necessary to carry out this subsection.
“(B)

Disbursement .—

A State agency shall disburse funds made available under subparagraph (A) to school food authorities participating in the school meal programs described in paragraphs (1) and (2).”
, , , provided that:

Reduction in General Reimbursement for Fiscal Year Ending

Pub. L. 96–499, title II, § 201(a)94 Stat. 2599section 1776 of this titlesection 1756 of this titlePub. L. 97–35, title VIII, § 820(b)(1)95 Stat. 535, , , provided that the national average payment per lunch under this chapter shall be reduced by 2½ cents for certain school food authorities for fiscal year ending , and that the amount of reimbursements under for fiscal year ending , and the amount of State revenues appropriated or used for meeting the requirements under for the school year ending , shall not be reduced because of a reduction in the amount of Federal funds expended, prior to repeal by , , , effective , or the first day of the first month following Aug. 1981, whichever is earlier.

Section 612c of Title 7Use of Funds Appropriated Under for Implementing This Section and Reimbursement of Such Funds

Pub. L. 92–433, § 4(a)86 Stat. 725section 612(c) of title 7, , , authorized Secretary of Agriculture to use so much of the funds appropriated by , as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes of this section and provide an average rate of reimbursement of not less than 8 cents per meal within each State during the fiscal year 1973 and provided for reimbursement of funds so used.

Additional Funds for Apportionment to States and for Special Assistance; Consultation With Child Nutrition Council; Reimbursement of Separate Fund From Supplemental Appropriation

Pub. L. 92–153, § 185 Stat. 419

section 32 of the Act of August 24, 19357 U.S.C. 612csection 1759a of this titlesection 1759a of this titlesection 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935section 612c of Title 7section 612c of Title 7“That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture shall until such time as a supplemental appropriation may provide additional funds for such purpose use so much of the funds appropriated by (), as may be necessary, in addition to the funds now available therefor, to carry out the purposes of section 11 of the [Richard B. Russell] National School Lunch Act [] and provide a rate of reimbursement which will assure every needy child of free or reduced price lunches during the fiscal year ending , and to carry out the purposes of section 4 of the [Richard B. Russell] National School Lunch Act [this section] and provide an average rate of reimbursement of 6 cents per meal within each State. In determining the amount of funds needed and the requirements of the various States therefor, the Secretary shall consult with the National Advisory Council on Child Nutrition and interested parties. Funds expended under the foregoing provisions of this resolution shall be reimbursed out of any supplemental appropriation hereafter enacted [on and after ] for the purpose of carrying out section 4 [this section] and section 11 of the [Richard B. Russell] National School Lunch Act [], and such reimbursements shall be deposited into the fund established pursuant to [, Agriculture], to be available for the purposes of said section 32 [].”
, , , provided:

Apportionment of Additional Funds to States

Pub. L. 92–433, § 4(b)86 Stat. 726

“Funds made available pursuant to this section shall be apportioned to the States in such manner as will best enable schools to meet their obligations with respect to the service of free and reduced-price lunches and to meet the objective of this section with respect to providing a minimum rate of reimbursement under section 4 of the [Richard B. Russell] National School Lunch Act [this section], and such funds shall be apportioned and paid as expeditiously as may be practicable.”
, , , provided that:

Pub. L. 92–153, § 285 Stat. 420

“Funds made available by this joint resolution [amending sections 1758 and 1759a of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 1758 and 1773 of this title] shall be apportioned to the States in such manner as will best enable schools to meet their obligations with respect to the service of free and reduced price lunches and to meet the objective of this joint resolution [amending sections 1758 and 1759a of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 1758 and 1773 of this title] with respect to providing a minimum rate of reimbursement under section 4 of the [Richard B. Russell] National School Lunch Act [this section], and such funds shall be apportioned and paid as expeditiously as may be practicable.”
, , , provided that: