May 12, 2023 12:07pm EDT
Democrats demand universal free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack for kids in school
Democrats say the bill would end 'school lunch shaming'
By Peter Kasperowicz | Fox News
Dozens of Democrats in the House and Senate proposed legislation this week that would give all students from pre-school through high school three free meals a day plus a snack regardless of income, a move they said is needed to cope with the "record numbers" of American kids who are struggling with hunger.
The bill makes no mention of how the program would be funded or what it would cost. Many bills include language saying that Congress will appropriate whatever money is needed to fund a new program, or that funding will come from spending offsets or higher taxes.
"It is an international embarrassment that today, in the richest country in the history of the world, we are seeing record numbers of children and youth struggling with hunger on a daily basis," said Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the sponsor of the Senate legislation.
"Universal school meals is not just commonsense policy; it is also extremely popular," said Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., the lead sponsor of the bill in the House. "Nearly 75% of Americans support permanent universal school meals — including the majority of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. It’s time to listen to the demands of our constituents and at long last make school meals free and universal for all kids."
Democrats say their bill, the Universal School Meals Program Act, would help put an end to the "school lunch shaming" that is seen under the current program, which requires kids to show they are eligible for a free meal.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dems-demand-free-breakfast-lunch-dinner-snack-for-all-kids-in-school-we-cannot-go-backwards
