On September 23, 2020,  the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that includes $8 billion in funding to support school nutrition programs through the end of the 2020-21 school year, allowing the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend all Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) waivers through the end of the school year. The USDA in August had extended waivers through December 31, 2020, but without the CR those waivers will expire.

The waivers provide schools with meal distribution flexibility, and the extensions are needed to ensure that children under the age of 18 have consistent access to breakfast and lunch during the entire 2020-21 school year.  The waiver extensions will permit schools to continue offering meals to all children at no charge, minimizing the challenges of meal service and ensuring that students have access to food during the pandemic.

H.R. 3337, which is the bill that contains the CR, seeks to avoid a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2020 and extends federal funding through December 11, 2020.

The bill must now be passed by the U.S. Senate and signed into law before it can become effective. 

To view HR 3337, click here.