Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), and Val Hoyle (D-OR-04) led the reintroduction of the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, which would help summer meal program sponsors purchase, retrofit, or repair vehicles that expand access to summer meals for children in rural communities.
Expand rural children's access to summer meals by advancing the Feeding Our Rural Kids Act, including pilot grants for meal delivery and pickup vehicles.
Occurrences
Evidence
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GovInfo bill text shows H.R. 10038 was introduced in the House on August 3, 2026 by Ms. Salinas "for herself, Mr. Lawler, Ms. Hoyle of Oregon, and Ms. Bonamici" and referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce. The bill would establish a summer meal delivery vehicle pilot program to award grants to purchase, retrofit, or repair vehicles for noncongregate summer meal distribution, with $1,000,000 authorized for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2029.
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Hoyle's official House press release says Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley and Representatives Andrea Salinas, Mike Lawler, and Val Hoyle led the reintroduction of the Feeding Our Rural Kids Act, which would help summer meal program sponsors purchase, retrofit, or repair vehicles that expand summer meal access in rural communities. It states the legislation would establish a three-year pilot grant program and build on rural non-congregate summer meal flexibilities.
Assessments
Hoyle materially advanced the Feeding Our Rural Kids Act in federal office by joining as an original House backer and publicly helping reintroduce the 2026 bill, which matched the promise's vehicle pilot-grant mechanism for rural summer meal delivery and pickup. However, the evidence shows only introduction and committee referral, not enactment, appropriations, implemented pilot grants, or expanded access. This is a serious legislative effort but not fulfillment of the promised outcome.