[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 102 (Tuesday, June 19, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H5227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                INTRODUCING THE SCHOOL MEALS PARITY ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Guam (Ms. Bordallo) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Federal School Meals 
Parity Act with my colleague Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. 
Virgin Islands as the original cosponsor.
  Our bill would ensure that Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands are 
reimbursed fairly under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's in-school 
meal and child nutrition programs.
  These USDA programs provide nutritionally balanced meals to needy K-
12 students each school day, including a breakfast, a lunch, and an 
after-school snack.
  For many needy school children, these USDA programs often provide 
their only well-balanced or full meal of the day.
  These important Federal nutrition programs serve millions--millions--
of American schoolchildren nationally, including some 18,000 Guam 
students and more than 10,000 students from the Virgin Islands.
  However, current USDA regulations reimburse Guam and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands at the rate for the continental United States. At the same 
time, our peer outlying jurisdictions--Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto 
Rico--receive a much higher reimbursement rate.
  According to USDA, the higher reimbursement rates for these States 
and territory reflect higher costs of delivering these programs in 
those outlying jurisdictions.
  Well, we agree wholeheartedly that all outlying jurisdictions should 
be reimbursed at higher rates than the mainland United States because 
of these higher costs.
  All five territories and both States outside the continental United 
States share the challenges of higher costs of living, fewer locally 
available resources, and greater percentages of schoolchildren from 
underserved households.
  Indeed, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands both have higher costs of 
living, lower median household incomes, and greater unemployment than 
the mainland United States. Both territories face much higher costs for 
imported food, transportation, fuel, refrigeration, and other everyday 
necessities than the mainland. Certainly, Guam is the furthest of the 
territories.
  To address these inadequacies, our bill would require that the USDA 
reimburse Guam at the same rate as its peer jurisdictions, Alaska and 
Hawaii; and the USDA reimburse the U.S. Virgin Islands at the same rate 
as neighboring Puerto Rico.
  Under the Federal School Meals Parity Act, public, Department of 
Defense, and private schools on Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands would 
receive additional Federal funding to provide more in-school nutritious 
meals to our needy students.
  Lastly, our bill directs USDA to complete a report comparing the 
costs of providing in-school meals to students in all five U.S. 
territories with the mainland 48 States and the outlying States of 
Alaska and Hawaii.
  I continue working in partnership with Congresswoman Plaskett to 
ensure that parity for Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands under USDA's 
in-school meal and child nutrition programs.
  So as Congress works to finalize the 2018 farm bill, I hope that our 
colleagues will provide equitable reimbursement for Guam and the U.S. 
Virgin Islands.
  For me and Congresswoman Plaskett, this is an issue of fundamental 
fairness for the territories and our students. It must be a priority 
for our House and Senate colleagues as well.

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