Letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House and Hon. Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader - Ahead of June 30 Deadline, Pingree Joins Bipartisan Effort Pushing House Leadership to Extend USDA Child Nutrition Waiver Authority, Keep Maine Students Fed at School

Letter

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy:
We are less than two weeks from the June 30, 2022 expiration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) child nutrition waivers. These waivers have been critical for schools across the country to feed children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic -- and they remain critical as we transition beyond COVID-19.
The waivers in place provide schools greater reimbursements for school meals, which is particularly critical during a period of rising costs. They provide school food authorities with flexibilities in purchasing options, critically important amid supply chain challenges. They provide parents with options for picking up their children's meals during the summer months -- the hungriest time of the year for kids. Most importantly, they provide those responsible for feeding students the flexibilities they need to ensure every child is fed.
Each of us have heard desperate pleas from schools and parents across our rural, urban, and suburban districts, urging Congress to extend these waivers. During a challenging time for many families, the last thing parents should worry about in the coming months is rising costs for their children's school meals -- a reality school districts are facing to stay within their already tight budgets.
Accordingly, we urge you to bring forward the Keeping School Meals Flexible Act, which has more than 90 cosponsors and bipartisan support. With few days remaining, Congress must act with the expediency this situation requires. We cannot leave children, schools, and parents behind.
Thank you for your attention to this important and time-sensitive matter.