American Food for American Schools Act of 2026
A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require a school food authority to make publicly available any waiver of the Buy American requirement, and for other purposes.
The proposed bill, SB5174, seeks to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. It mandates that any waiver granted to a school food authority from the Buy American requirement must be made publicly accessible. This change is aimed at increasing transparency around decisions that affect the procurement of food for school programs. The bill would affect school food authorities by imposing a new requirement to disclose information about waivers.
The bill is in its early stages, having been introduced on July 30, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. As it stands now, the bill has not yet advanced beyond its initial introduction and referral. Both Democratic and Republican sponsors are involved, indicating a potential for bipartisan support.
Recent actions include the bill being read twice and referred to the relevant committee for further review. This marks the first step in what will likely be a lengthy process of analysis, debate, and potential amendments before any final vote can take place.
