Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016

Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to reauthorize and modify: (1) child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and other institutional food service programs; and (2) the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

The bill extends the authorizations for:

• the Summer Food Service Program,
• WIC,
• the WIC Farmer's Market Nutrition Program, and
• State Administrative Expenses.

(Under current law, several programs such as the NSLP and the School Breakfast Program are permanently authorized.)

For the child nutrition programs, the bill makes policy changes that:

• establish a demonstration project to permit up to three states to receive a block grant instead of open-ended funding currently provided by several child nutrition programs;
• require the Department of Agriculture to review school meal regulations every three years and make any necessary revisions;
• increase reimbursement rates for the School Breakfast Program;
• increase the eligibility threshold for participation in the Community Eligibility Provision that permits schools in high poverty areas to serve all meals free of charge;
• permit states to provide summer meals away from a congregate site (specific sites where children come to eat and are supervised) in rural or low-income areas without access to summer service; and
• revise application verification requirements for the school meal programs.

For WIC, the bill:

• authorizes appropriations at the current FY2016 level for the next five years,
• permits commercial availability and participant demand to be considered when amending the list of supplemental foods, and
• modifies the competitive bidding and contract award process for infant formula and infant foods.