On March 4, 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 362, affirming the National School Lunch Program. Enacted by the 79th Congress in 1946, the National School Lunch Act has been enlarged and amended over the years. Despite the success of the program (according to the Forum for Youth Investment) [1] at a time of severe financial strain, thirteen representatives voted against the resolution which stated that the House of Representatives “supports the goals and ideals of the National School Lunch Program…” The most controversial “nay” came from North Carolina’s 5th District Representative, Virginia Foxx.
Purpose of the Resolution
H. Res. 362 restated what previous Congresses have supported: a school lunch program, “as a measure of national security, to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation’s children…” This language was taken directly from the 1946 Act. The Resolution calls for nutritious “agricultural consumption” and addresses the issue of hunger and the correlation to lower math scores as well as other adverse affects on children in an educational setting. The lunch program is non-profit.
How Many Children Benefit?
In 2009, 31,000,000 meals were served to children (Food and Nutrition Service, NSLP Fact Sheet). From the inception of the Act creating the program, children receiving free or greatly subsidized lunches were deemed “needy.” Federal apportionment of funds began in 1966 and has since grown. Children living in areas where unemployment rates exceed the national average form the largest percentage of those classified as “needy.” For example, in Congresswoman Foxx’s district, the northwestern region of North Carolina, 7 out of 10 children in Alleghany County alone benefited from the program (based on 2007 figures, Kids Count Data Center).
Why a “No” Vote on the Resolution?
Mrs. Foxx’s district has been particularly devastated by the loss of manufacturing jobs. Her district includes Surry, Wilkes, and Ashe counties where the National School Lunch Program benefited almost as many children as in Alleghany County. In Forsyth County, which includes Winston-Salem, free or subsidized school lunches assisted half of all children (The Annie E. Casey Foundation: Kids Count Data Center).
Between December 8, 2005 and September 17, 2009, Mrs. Foxx voted against education measures 21 times (26 measures were presented). This does not include H. Res. 362, which was supported by the entire House Republican leadership. Further, the measure was a Resolution – not a bill. Yet Mrs. Foxx is an educator herself, with an earned doctorate from the University of North Carolina – Greensboro in Education and background as a college professor and Community College president.
The Realities of Poverty and Unemployment
North Carolina has one of the highest unemployment rates at 11.1% (January 2010, Bureau of Labor Statistics). Local community colleges have registered staggering enrollment increases as laid-off workers seek new job training (Forsyth Tech Community College saw a 20% increase in spring 2010 enrollments). Food banks cannot keep enough commodities on their shelves as the unemployed are faced to make desperate choices. Within this scenario, the School Lunch Program offers some modicum of hope for families that simply cannot “pack a lunch.” (Adrienne Nettles, Montgomery Advertiser, reprinted in All Business, October 19, 2009)
Mrs. Foxx’s vote may be indicative of her fiscal conservatism when it comes to social programs and she takes seriously the adage that there is no such as thing as a “free lunch.” She and the other twelve no votes may have sought to send a clear message regarding entitlement programs, yet most of them, including Mrs. Foxx, have and continue to vote for billions to fight the Middle East wars.
This writer emailed and called Mrs. Foxx’s Congressional District Office but did not receive a reply.
Notes:
[1] A highly detailed report on the School Lunch Program is available at eric.ed.gov, Report No. CN-04-Av5, "Nutrition Assistance Report.
Sources:
- Gordon W. Gunderson, “The National School Lunch Program: Background and Development,” Food and Nutrition Service – US Department of Agriculture. See also NSLP Fact Sheet pdf.
- H. Res. 362, THOMAS (Library of Congress)
- Vote-Smart.org
Join the Conversation