01.17.20

Chairman Scott Statement on Proposed Rollback of School Nutrition Standards

WASHINGTON – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a proposed rule to reverse nutrition standards for school meals.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposed rule threatens the progress we’ve made toward improving nutrition in schools. The nutrition standards developed under the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act were specifically designed to align with evidence-based dietary guidelines. By reversing those standards, this rule ignores the overwhelming scientific research showing that nutritious school meals improve the lives, health, and academic performance of students.

“This proposal also provides a loophole for school districts to avoid providing healthy snacks to students, further undermining the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.

“For many children, the food they eat at school is their only access to healthy, nutritious meals. This is the Trump administration’s second attempt to reverse evidence-based school nutrition standards and put special interests above the long-term health and development of America’s students.”

 

###

Press Contact

Democratic Press Office, 202-226-0853