[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 54 (Thursday, April 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E503-E504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 3, 2014

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker,

       Ev'ry day we say our prayer, Will they change the bill of 
     fare, Still we get the same old gru . . . el, There's not a 
     crust, not a crumb can we find, Can we beg, can we borrow, or 
     cadge, But there's nothing to stop us from getting a thrill, 
     When we all close our eyes and imag . . . ine, Food, glorious 
     food!

  There is no limit to how far the federal government arms can reach.
  ``Please, sir, I want some more,'' is not just a quote from the movie 
Oliver, but a phrase that I am sure has been heard throughout schools 
by students from 2012 till just recently.
  Through the Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the federal government's 
arms have become stronger and longer, allowing them to snatch kids' 
lunch bags and replace it with what they believe our kids should be 
eating.
  So long gone are the days of parenting, we have the government to do 
it for us.
  Now it's the USDA who teaches our children about what they should and 
should not be eating.
  Children are more likely to choose a peanut butter and jelly sandwich 
over a salad or vegetables, but the USDA determined that the best way 
to have the kids make the ``healthy'' choice is to eliminate their 
options altogether.
  Although the USDA recently eliminated the grain and protein limits 
under the National School Lunch Program, they should have never had 
that kind of power to begin with.
  The federal government may have decided to stop telling our children 
whether to have a whole or half sandwich, but its influence is still 
strong.
  The feds force our children to pick 1/2 cup serving of fruits or 
vegetables with their breakfast or lunch--whether they eat it or not.
  In their attempts to make our young students healthier, the USDA has 
unmasked the myth that drinking whole and 2% milk is bad because of the 
vitamins and nutrients.
  Apparently it is so bad that USDA has removed them from being 
available at schools altogether.
  Even though the USDA believes the National School Lunch Program 
changes are sensible, they ignore the additional costs on schools and 
disregard concerns that the mandated fruit and vegetables serving will 
go to waste.

[[Page E504]]

  There goes common sense right out of the window.
  But then again what does the state, local school boards, individual 
schools, or parents know?
  The federal government knows best or at least that's what they think.
  Time to let local schools and parents decide what children should 
eat--not Washington, DC bureaucrats.
  And that's just the way it is.

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