Brown Has Advocated for this Legislation to Ensure Students Have Access to Food and Address Inflation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 29, 2022 – President Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act, legislation that U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has long advocated to implement. The bill will allow schools the flexibility they need to continue providing students access to healthy meals this summer, and provide schools increased funding to respond to supply-chain challenges and high food costs in the coming school year.
“Ohio families now have the peace of mind that healthy meals will be accessible for their children and the local community,” said Brown. “This will give Ohio schools the flexibility they need, support our local summer feeding programs, and make it easier for schools to weather supply chain and inflation challenges throughout the year.”
More information on this legislation can be found here.
Brown has consistently advocated for legislation to ensure students and schools have access to healthy food they need during the summer months.
Brown, along with 51 of his Senate colleagues, introduced the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act, which would have extended USDA school meal flexibilities from June 30, 2022 to September 30, 2023. The Keep Kids Fed Act accomplished this goal and will provide schools with increased funding for lunches and breakfasts to help address inflation and supply chain challenges.
In June, Brown sent a letter to Senate and House leadership urging them to extend USDA’s waiver authority to make sure school administrators, staff, and industry partners have the support they need to provide kids and families with access to healthy nutritious foods. In March, Brown sent a similar letter to Senate leadership.
In June 2021, Brown introduced bipartisan legislation that would make summer meals for kids more accessible during the months when schools are closed, while also highlighting the importance of current summer food programs for children in Ohio.
In April 2021, Brown and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) reintroduced their Kids Eat Local Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to support local and regional food systems and encourage healthy meal choices among school-aged children.