Virginia Foxx: “I thank my colleague for yielding time. Madam Speaker, evidence is clear that students are able to focus more at school…”

“I thank my colleague for yielding time. Madam Speaker, evidence is clear that students are able to focus more at school if they are receiving adequate nutrition. Too many students are still suffering from the harmful effects of school closures, and we cannot afford to let students fall further behind. The rise in food prices is putting most Americans in a tight spot. The same is true for schools. The bipartisan Keep Kids Fed Act will empower schools to meet the crises our country is facing, from supply chain problems to record-high inflation. It is, however, extremely important to emphasize that the support provided in this legislation is both targeted and temporary, as all aid should be. We also worked hard to ensure that this legislation was budget-neutral so it does not put additional burden on taxpayers. Importantly, this legislation will return our Nation's school meal programs to regular order. This is the primary reason I support this legislation. For over 2 years, Democrats used a permanent pandemic narrative to increase Federal spending across the board, including within school meal programs. This has fueled inflation. This is not only irresponsible but ignores the narrow limits Congress purposefully placed on these programs. Congress never intended to provide universal free breakfasts and lunches to all K-12 students regardless of need.…”