Nearly one of every four Democrats in the House signed a letter to congressional leaders on Thursday, asking for a return to universal free school lunches and breakfasts. “We urge you to provide funding for school meals for all in the next continuing resolution to fulfill the nutritional needs of our children and lower costs for our families,” said the letter.
The proposal would cost billions of dollars to implement. The government financed free school meals during the pandemic. The practice ended with the start of this school year at the insistence of Republican lawmakers.
A USDA survey conducted last fall found that schools expected higher food prices, limited supplies, and labor shortages to continue into the 2022-23 school year. Ninety percent of schools employed USDA waivers last school year to serve meals for free.