# Military Dependents School Meal Eligibility Act of 2023

This bill makes it easier for children of military members to qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. Right now, when families apply for meal assistance, schools count all household income to determine eligibility. For military families, this includes the basic housing allowance that the military provides to service members—money specifically meant to cover housing costs. The problem is that counting this housing allowance as regular income can push military families just over the income threshold, making them ineligible for meal assistance even though their actual spending money is tight.

The bill addresses this by excluding military housing allowances from the income calculation used to determine meal eligibility. This means a military family's "counted income" would be lower, making it more likely they'd qualify for free or reduced meals. For example, a military family receiving a $2,000 monthly housing allowance wouldn't have that $2,000 counted against them when applying for school meals, potentially making the difference between qualifying and not qualifying.

The bill also requires the Department of Agriculture and Department of Defense to study how to automatically certify military children for meal benefits without requiring families to fill out applications. This would streamline the process so military families don't have to navigate paperwork to access benefits they're eligible for. The study is due by October 2024 and will examine different ways to share military data to make the certification process automatic and easier for families.