MEALS Act of 2025 has not moved since its introduction on Jun 4, 2025, with one cosponsor, a Democrat
Written by the Congressional Research Service [2]. 245 words.
Mitigating Electronic Access Losses for Students Act of 2025 or the MEALS Act of 2025 This bill requires the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to prescribe fraud prevention measures for the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (or Summer EBT) program and provide for the replacement of the full amount of a student's stolen benefits. Summer EBT provides electronic benefits that can be redeemed for groceries to households with eligible children over the summer months. Specifically, using funds provided by FNS, a participating state agency must provide a household with replacement Summer EBT benefits if the state agency determines that the benefits were stolen, and the agency meets certain requirements. The benefits must be equal to the amount of benefits stolen through card skimming, card cloning, or similar fraudulent methods. Further, for state agencies and Indian tribal organizations that administer the Summer EBT program, FNS must issue guidance on security measures that are effective in detecting and preventing the theft of benefits (e.g., through card skimming or card cloning), and promulgate regulations to require them to take the appropriate security measures and implement procedures for the replacement of benefits. In addition, FNS must coordinate with the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services to establish (1) measures to prevent Summer EBT benefits from being stolen, and (2) standard reporting methods. Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress that examines the risks related to Summer EBT benefit payment system security.
- Committees
- House Education and Workforce Committee
- Policy area
- Agriculture and Food: 14 of 2,036 bills became law, 113th–118th (0.7%)
- Sponsor
- 3 of 207 bills enacted since 2013
- Text versions
- 1: introduced in house · 1,434 words
- Latest action
- Jun 4, 2025: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Records
- Congress.gov · Bill text
Each bill appears once, under its strongest link. 1 in all.
Related, per CRS or House · 1
- 119th H.R. 10421 Transforming Education for the Future Act D · Introduced