Senate Democrats are advocating for universal free school meals, the elimination of school lunch debt, and an end to transaction fees on school meal payments, which has also emerged as a focus of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in recent months. At a Senate Agriculture subcommittee hearing, lawmakers emphasized the need for more equitable school meal policies to combat food insecurity and reduce financial burdens on families. [NBC News]
The details
- Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the Universal School Meals Program Act, which would provide free meals to all students and increase meal reimbursement rates. He also proposed legislation to cancel school lunch debt.
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), alongside other senators, is pushing the USDA to prohibit “sham” transaction fees, which cost families over $100 million a year when adding money to school meal accounts. These fees disproportionately impact lower-income households.
Why it matters: The push to expand free school meals and eliminate transaction fees aims to reduce food insecurity, particularly for families struggling with rising costs. Lawmakers argue that feeding children shouldn’t come with additional financial barriers.
