[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 154 (Friday, October 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  USDA PROPOSED RULE FOR SCHOOL MEALS

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                          HON. MARCIA L. FUDGE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 14, 2011

  Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to highlight and submit for the 
record my concerns regarding new costs for schools who serve primarily 
low-income children in a proposed rule, issued on January 13, 2011, to 
establish revised meal pattern and nutritional requirements for the 
National School Breakfast & Lunch Program. I commend the commitment to 
improving the nutritional profile of school meals. However, the 
proposed rule could have a significant effect on local schools that 
serve a high percentage of low-income children.
  The preamble to the proposed rule indicates that it would increase 
the cost of serving school meals by $6.8 billion over the next five 
years--an increase of 14 cents per lunch and 50 cents per breakfast. 
With less than half of the increased cost for lunches and none of the 
increased cost for breakfast to be offset by increased federal 
reimbursements, the economic consequences of such large cost increases 
is a matter of great concern. Many of our local schools do not have 
resources that may be diverted to meet such large cost increases. 
Especially, considering the fact that the majority of the dollars that 
are supposed to be diverted for this cost increase would come from paid 
meals. Schools that serve a high percentage of low-income kids have 
little or no kids actually purchasing meals. Most children fed in these 
schools receive free or reduced priced meals.
  School nutrition programs play a vital role in the healthy 
development of America's children. For many low-income children, the 
best, if not all, of their nutrition comes from the school breakfast 
and lunch programs. I sent a letter to Secretary Vilsack on October 12 
2011, with 14 of my colleagues, to request that the final rule not 
adversely affect the budgets of local schools feeding the highest 
percentages of low-income children. The letter also urges the Secretary 
to prioritize the accessibility of school nutrition program 
improvements to all children.

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