The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“INTRODUCING THE SCHOOL MEALS PARITY ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H5227 on June 19, 2018.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
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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