CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM AND SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM INTO COMPREHENSIVE MEAL PROGRAM.

SEC. 301. CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM AND SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM INTO COMPREHENSIVE MEAL PROGRAM. (a) In General.— Notwithstanding any provision of National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.), except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, develop and implement regulations to consolidate the school lunch program under the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) and the school breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) into a comprehensive meal program. (b) Requirements.— In establishing the comprehensive meal program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall meet the following requirements: (1) The Secretary shall ensure that the program continues to serve children who are eligible for free and reduced price meals. The meals shall meet the nutritional requirements of section 9(a)(1) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(a)(1)) and section 4(e)(1) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773(e)(1)). (2) The Secretary shall continue to make breakfast assistance payments in accordance with section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) and food assistance payments in accordance with the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.). (3) The Secretary may not consolidate any aspect of the school lunch program or the school breakfast program with respect to any matter described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (N) of section 12(1)(4) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(1)(4)). (c) Plan and Recommendations.— (1) Plan for consolidation and simplification.— Not later than 180 days prior to implementing the regulations described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall prepare and 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 plan for the consolidation and simplification of the school lunch program and the school breakfast program. (2) Recommendations with respect to change in payment amounts.— If the Secretary proposes to change the amount of the breakfast assistance payment or the food assistance payment under the comprehensive meal program, the Secretary shall not include the change in the consolidation and shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Education and Labor, and the Committee on Agriculture, of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-108 STAT. 4750 tion, and Forestry of the Senate recommendations for legislation to effect the change.