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Rep. Omar Passes Two Bills in Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act Markup

July 27, 2022

WASHINGTON – The House Committee on Education and Labor today passed two bills sponsored by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act. The bills sponsored by Rep. Omar includes her No Shame at School and the National Advisory Council on Unpaid Meal Debt Act to end school lunch shaming and establish a commission to address unpaid school meal debt. The committee-passed legislation would also expand access to school meals, preserve the future of school meal programs, and address food insecurity during the summer.

"I am thrilled the committee passed two of my bills to establish a commission to address unpaid school meal debt and end school lunch shaming," said Rep. Omar. “In 2020, I was proud to introduce and pass the MEALS Act to ensure 30 million kids got free and reduced-price school meals during the pandemic. Now, this legislation is set to expire at the end of September. Today’s mark-up moves us one step closer to a future where school meals are protected for children and families in need. This is our opportunity to address child hunger with the urgency it deserves, and I look forward to making this bill a reality."

“The language from Rep. Omar’s No Shame at School and the National Advisory Council on Unpaid Meal Debt Act included in the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act will help stamp out school meal debt and the shame and stigma that belong nowhere near a school cafeteria,” said Marc Egan, Director of Government Relations for the National Education Association. “Experienced school food service workers who work with students every day want to stop this from happening and look forward to serving on the advisory council.”

For a fact sheet on the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, click here.

For text of the Committee's Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, click here.

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Issues:Education