Press Releases

Republican Leader of the Education and Labor Committee, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), per Foxx’s urging, announced it will extend nationwide school nutrition program waivers through the end of the calendar year:

“As instruction for the upcoming school year begins, schools and families should have the flexibilities they need to ensure students have access to nutritious meals. Today’s announcement from Secretary Perdue to extend the school nutrition program waivers is a critical step in achieving our shared goal of providing nutritious meals to students in need during COVID-19.

“By implementing these necessary flexibilities, federal programs that help feed students during these difficult times will remain easy to operate and free of unnecessary burdens. I applaud Secretary Perdue for today’s announcement and the Trump administration for their commitment to American families and students.”

BACKGROUND: In March, President Trump signed H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, into law. This bipartisan legislation granted USDA nationwide waiver authority so that states and schools could enact emergency measures to provide students with nutritious food. With the pandemic continuing to alter school activity, Republican Leader Foxx led a letter to Secretary Perdue last week, along with 24 Republican Members of the Education and Labor Committee and Agriculture Committee, urging USDA to implement child nutrition program flexibilities allowed under law. Today’s announcement extends USDA’s waiver authority through the end of the calendar year.

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