A bill to create a new Federal grant program that provides grants to State libraries to allow schools with summer lunch programs to keep their libraries open for student use during the summer months.

S. 5318 would establish a new federal grant program under which state libraries could receive grants to help fund the continued operation of school libraries during summer months, specifically at schools that already run summer lunch programs. The intent is to let students who are on school grounds for summer meals also have access to library facilities during that period.

The bill would affect state library agencies, which would be eligible to apply for and administer the grants, and by extension the schools and students in summer lunch programs at those schools. Students in these programs would be the primary beneficiaries, gaining access to library resources they might not otherwise have during the summer break.

The bill's full legislative text has not yet been published, so specific details such as funding levels, eligibility criteria, application procedures, or administrative requirements are not yet known.

S. 5318 was introduced in the U.S. Senate on August 6, 2026, by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and its current status is "Introduced." As a next step, it would typically be referred to a Senate committee for review; committee consideration, potential amendment, and further votes would need to occur before the bill could advance toward passage.

Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.