[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 25 (Tuesday, March 2, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H712-H713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          SCHOOL LUNCH STIGMA

  (Mr. KELLER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. KELLER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address an issue many low-
income school children face every day as they go through the lunch 
line: embarrassment. Embarrassed that their parents cannot afford to 
pay for daily meals so they are singled out in the lunch line in front 
of their peers as participants in the free or reduced lunch program.
  I was encouraged to see a program in one of my local school 
districts, Lake County, Florida, that uses technology to enable every 
child to go through the school lunch line without being identified as a 
free or reduced school lunch recipient. Regardless of family income, 
every child has the exact same debit card which either their parents 
deposit money into or is funded by the program.
  Today, I am introducing the Pride in the Lunch Line Act, which will 
amend the National School Act to allow schools access to existing 
Federal funds to purchase technology like that used in Lake County. It 
will reduce the stigma for students, and it will reduce the paperwork 
for our schools.

[[Page H713]]

  I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation. Let us help 
children eat their lunch with pride.

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