WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) delivered the following opening statement at the House Education and the Workforce Committee markup of H.R. 5003, the Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016.  Congresswoman Fudge is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education which has jurisdiction over school lunch and child nutrition programs. 

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

“As we consider the Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016, we must not lose sight of the fact that investing in child nutrition programs is an investment in our nation’s future.  Providing children with access to nutritious foods throughout their school years will produce healthier kids and better learners.

“With one in five American children experiencing food insecurity, we cannot afford to take a step backward.  This bill does nothing to move us forward.  It fails to make meaningful investments in improving access to school and summer meals and contradicts everything we have heard in hearings and elsewhere about the need for improved access to nutritious meals, especially during the summer months.

“When we talk about summer meals, we must keep in mind that current summer programs reach only a fraction of the children they are designed to assist.  In Ohio alone, only nine percent of students receive summer meals, leaving over 600,000 eligible children without access to meals they would otherwise receive during the school year.  We must make a meaningful investment in summer meals and summer EBT, ensuring we reach as many children as possible.

“Of equal concern is the increase of the Community Eligibility Provision threshold.  The change would increase the burden on high-poverty schools, while providing no additional resources to school administrators, another unfunded mandate so often complained about by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.  This will result in eligible children losing access to free or reduced price meals.

“The numerous calls from advocacy groups for us to reconsider the harmful programmatic changes in this bill should serve as a call to action. We must make meaningful investments in feeding programs that have been proven successful, in school kitchen equipment, in food service workers, and our children’s health.

“Schools and organizations such as food banks, Boys and Girls Clubs, Farm to School programs, and many others, have proven that, with the proper investment, we can make a significant impact on eradicating hunger in America.

“America’s children deserve better.  We must do better. With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the remainder of my time.”

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