[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 895 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 895

Recognizing National School Breakfast Week from March 2nd through March 
    6th, 2020, and expressing the sense of Congress that providing 
breakfast in schools through the National School Breakfast Program has 
              a positive impact on classroom performance.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 10, 2020

Ms. Moore submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

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                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing National School Breakfast Week from March 2nd through March 
    6th, 2020, and expressing the sense of Congress that providing 
breakfast in schools through the National School Breakfast Program has 
              a positive impact on classroom performance.

Whereas National School Breakfast Program participants under the Child Nutrition 
        Act of 1966 include public, private, elementary, middle, and high 
        schools, as well as rural, suburban, and urban schools;
Whereas, on average per day in the 2018-2019 school year, 12,400,000 students in 
        the United States consumed free or reduced-price school breakfasts 
        provided under the National School Breakfast Program established by 
        section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966;
Whereas over 6,000 schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program 
        do not participate in the National School Breakfast Program;
Whereas, in the 2018-2019 school year, 8 States failed to reach even half of the 
        low-income students who participate in the National School Lunch Program 
        with the National School Breakfast Program;
Whereas just over half of the low-income students who participate in the 
        National School Lunch Program also participate in the National School 
        Breakfast Program;
Whereas making breakfast widely available through different venues or a 
        combination thereof, such as breakfast after the bell programs, in the 
        classroom, obtained as students exit their school bus, or outside the 
        classroom, has been shown to increase participation in free or reduced-
        price breakfast programs and lessen the stigma regarding such 
        participation, which often prevents eligible students from obtaining 
        traditional breakfast in the cafeteria;
Whereas providing free universal breakfast through the Community Eligibility 
        Provision has been shown to significantly increase National School 
        Breakfast Program participation rates and reduce administrative burden;
Whereas States with high implementation of the Community Eligibility Provision 
        have experienced high participation in the National School Breakfast 
        Program;
Whereas studies have shown that access to nutritious programs such as the 
        National School Lunch Program and National School Breakfast Program help 
        to create a strong learning environment for children and help to improve 
        children's concentration in the classroom;
Whereas providing breakfast in the classroom has been shown in several instances 
        to improve attentiveness and academic performance, while reducing 
        tardiness and disciplinary referrals;
Whereas students struggling with hunger experience a greater prevalence of 
        behavioral, emotional, mental health, and academic problems;
Whereas students who consume breakfast have been shown to perform better on 
        mathematical tasks, vocabulary tests, demanding mental tasks, and in 
        dealing with frustration;
Whereas studies suggest that eating breakfast at school, which is closer to 
        classroom and test-taking time, improves student performance on 
        standardized tests relative to students who skip breakfast or have 
        breakfast at home;
Whereas studies show that students who skip breakfast are more likely to have 
        difficulty distinguishing among similar images, show increased errors, 
        and have slower memory recall;
Whereas children that experience hunger have been shown to be more likely to 
        have lower math scores, face an increased likelihood of repeating a 
        grade, and receive more special education services;
Whereas National School Breakfast Program participants have better nutrition 
        status and intake of nutrients, such as calcium, fiber, protein, and 
        vitamins A and C; and
Whereas children who fail to eat breakfast are more likely to be overweight or 
        obese than children who eat a daily healthy breakfast: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the importance of the National School 
        Breakfast Program and its overall positive effect on the lives 
        of low-income children and families, as well as its effect on 
        helping to improve a child's overall classroom performance;
            (2) recognizes the importance of the Community Eligibility 
        Provision in increasing school breakfast participation, and 
        reducing administrative burden;
            (3) expresses support for States that have successfully 
        implemented school breakfast programs in order to improve the 
        test scores and grades of its participating students; and
            (4) encourages States to strengthen their school breakfast 
        programs by improving access for students, to promote 
        improvements in the nutritional quality of breakfasts served, 
        and to inform students and parents of healthy nutritional and 
        lifestyle choices.
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