AP

Congress approves free student meal extension through summer

Jun 24, 2022, 1:03 PM | Updated: Jun 25, 2022, 7:42 am

Congress passed a bill Friday that aims to keep up the expanded, pandemic-era distribution of free meals for all students this summer.

Final passage of the Keep Kids Fed Act in the U.S. House came less than a week before rule changes for child nutrition programs were set to expire June 30.

“Our action today staves off a dangerous hunger cliff: ensuring universal free meals for all children throughout this summer, while helping schools keep up supply chain snags and rising costs for the upcoming school year,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, in a statement.

The bill now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.

The legislation is intended to extend the rules that were adopted soon after COVID-19 disrupted schools nationwide so that summer meal distribution sites could operate in any community with need, rather than just where there’s a high concentration of low-income children, and offer to-go meals.

Rules that have allowed all students to receive meals for free at school, regardless of family income level, are still set to expire before the next academic year.

A bipartisan agreement that had been reached this week in the Senate would have allowed children who are eligible for reduced price lunch to eat for free in the upcoming school year, but that provision was removed from the final agreement.

“I’m disappointed we had to make this change. But without this bill, we would have no support for kids at all,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan, chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Advocates said the action in Congress will provide relief for families, but they are disappointed that the reduced-price lunch kids won’t get meals for free while families are struggling with soaring food and gas prices. They also say there will be fewer meal sites this summer because of the late timing of the legislation.

“Everything’s going up, food, gas, housing. Those families that are in that category oftentimes make a little bit too much money so that they can’t get assistance from different programs, now school meals, but they don’t make enough that they can cover basic necessities, so we’re putting those families in an awful position,” said Lisa Davis, senior vice president of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Ray Epps Ray Epps, an Arizona man who became the center of a conspiracy theory about Jan. 6, 2021, ...

Associated Press

Ray Epps, an Arizona man who supported Trump, pleads guilty to Capital riot charge

Ray Epps, the target of a conspiracy theory about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge.

15 hours ago

Former President Donald Trump repeatedly declined in an interview aired Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, to ...

Associated Press

Trump refuses to say in a TV interview how he watched the Jan. 6 attack unfold at the US Capitol

Former President Donald Trump repeatedly declined in an interview aired Sunday to answer questions about whether he watched the Capitol riot.

4 days ago

This frame grab from video, provided by the Mexican government, shows Ovidio Guzman Lopez being det...

Associated Press

Mexico extradites son of ‘El Chapo,’ Ovidio Guzman Lopez to US

The son of notorious cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán, Ovidio Guzman Lopez was extradited to the U.S. on Friday.

5 days ago

impeachments in US history...

Associated Press

A look at notable impeachments in US history, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted Saturday on during his impeachment trial. Here's a roundup of impeachments in U.S. history.

5 days ago

The sticker price is displayed in the window of an unsold 2023 Navigator sports-utility vehicle at ...

Associated Press

The auto workers strike will drive up car prices, but not right away — unless consumers panic

Car shoppers are heading for a new round of sticker shock if the strike by the United Auto Workers doesn’t end soon, officials say.

5 days ago

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announces an order restricting people from carrying guns in Bernalillo ...

Associated Press

Group sues after New Mexico governor suspends right to carry guns in Albuquerque in public

The New Mexico governor's emergency order suspending the right to carry firearms in public near Albuquerque drew an immediate court challenge.

12 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Home moving relocation in Arizona 2023...

BMS Moving

Tips for making your move in Arizona easier

If you're moving to a new home in Arizona, use this to-do list to alleviate some stress and ensure a smoother transition to your new home.

...

Ignite Digital

How to unlock the power of digital marketing for Phoenix businesses

All businesses around the Valley hopes to maximize their ROI with current customers and secure a greater market share in the digital sphere.

...

Ability360

At Ability360, every day is Independence Day

With 100 different programs and services, more than 1,500 non-medically based home care staff, a world-renowned Sports & Fitness Center and over 15,000 people with disabilities served annually, across all ages and demographics, Ability360 is a nationwide leader in the disability community.

Congress approves free student meal extension through summer