House Republicans Playing Politics with School Lunches

House Republican attempts to gut school nutrition standards have not received the best reviews.  Already, 19 former presidents of the School Nutrition Association are urging Congressional leaders to "not reverse the progress that was sought by school leaders and is well on its way to success in most schools."

They are not alone.  Today, 450 retired admirals and generals pressed Congress to "refrain from…weakening" school nutrition standards:

"American youth spend more time in school than anywhere else outside of their homes. Children consume up to half of their daily calories during school hours, and the childhood years lay the foundation for lifelong eating habits–for better or for worse. As such, the food they receive at school plays a critical role in supporting their long-term health.

"Thanks to…USDA nutrition standards, requirements for school meals have been updated to align with current nutrition science. Schools are now serving more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or no-fat dairy options while offering fewer empty calories and high-fat options.

"Implementation is never an easy process, and there have certainly been challenges, but by and large, schools are on the right track. Recent data shows that more than 90 percent of schools are currently in compliance with science-based standards.

In our country, 72 million children live near or at the poverty level, with one-third of children either overweight or obese – including a disproportionately higher number of children of color suffering from obesity.  Yet House Republicans are undermining efforts to provide kids with more nutritious food.  This is a colossal reversal from accomplished progress.  Instead of playing politics with the health of our nation's future leaders, Congress should focus on helping kids have better access to more healthy food, not less.  We must address the priorities of our children, not those of special interests and food industry giants.