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Kilili: No child should go hungry
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Posted on Feb 27 2020
Millions of children in the United States rely heavily on school lunches for food. However, children in Micronesia are excluded from the National School Lunch Program, a federally-assisted program that provides nutritionally-balanced low-, or no-cost lunches to school children every day.
To remedy this situation, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) has introduced the FAS School Meals Improvement Act to make it more inclusive to children in Micronesia.
“There are children in Micronesia who can only go to school half-day, because there is no lunch program for them,” Sablan said. “On Friday, I introduced the FAS School Meals Improvement Act, so children in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau can take part in federal school meal programs and have a better chance to grow up healthy and well-educated.”
A Business Insider article reported that over 12 million children in the U.S. live in food-insecure homes, and that 22 million children rely on free or reduced price lunches at school.
Sablan’s bill seeks to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to grant eligibility to the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau for certain programs.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and Delegate Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa) are co-sponsors of Sablan’s bill.
Originally, the Freely Associated States were included in federal school meals programs, but were cut out by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act in 1996.
“Restoring eligibility for school meals will improve educational outcomes, save on future costs from nutrition-related disorders, and help cement U.S. alliances in our region,” said Sablan.
