Inaction by Congress puts National School Lunch Program in jeopardy

With all of the news coming out of Washington, it’s easy to overlook that the federal government is operating on temporary funding that is scheduled to run out Nov. 21. This funding situation is harmful for our state, for our military and for non-defense programs that are critical for future military readiness.

As a retired admiral, I am very concerned that 73% of young people in Georgia ages 17-24 are ineligible for the military because they are too poorly educated, too overweight or have a record of crime or drug abuse.

In Bibb County, more than 1 in 5 students do not graduate from high school on time, and more than one-third of adults over age 20 are obese, according to the County Health Rankings from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

We must address these problems from an early age through high-quality early learning, access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity. The good news is there are several federal programs that provide children with access to these critical supports.

For example, over one million Georgia students ate healthy meals through the National School Lunch Program in the 2017-18 school year. Recognizing the importance of good nutrition for a healthy, able-bodied population, military leaders after World War II helped bring about the creation of the program in the name of national security. As our nation struggles with obesity and military recruiting today, the fresh and nutritious foods provided by the program are as important as ever for the strength of our youngest generation.

Both the House and Senate Appropriations committees in Congress have proposed increasing funding for the program in fiscal year 2020 to help schools in Georgia and across the country with the rising costs of providing nutritious meals.

However, since Congress has not agreed on final appropriations legislation for this year, funding for the program will continue at last year’s levels. Last year’s funds will not be sufficient to meet the current needs of this year’s student population.

If Congress continues to operate under stop-gap funding at last year’s levels, school districts may look to cut costs, which may result in reduced access to fresh and nutritious food.

Past funding disruptions show that fresh fruits and vegetables are often the first foods to be cut. These are precisely the foods that need to be prioritized in order to establish healthy eating habits and fight obesity among Georgia’s kids.

Georgia also participates in the federal SNAP Nutrition Incentives program that supports the increased purchase of fruits and vegetables. During a continuing resolution, yearly funding releases for such programs are uncertain, jeopardizing consistent access to fresh foods.

I recently discussed the importance of on-time funding for these programs with Georgia’s members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, including U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., who serves on the House Armed Services Committee.

I urge all members of Georgia’s Congressional delegation to prioritize national security by working together to complete this year’s appropriations bills, with crucial funding for programs like the National School Lunch Program and SNAP Nutrition Incentives Program.

Casey Coane is a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral who lives in Woodstock and is a member of Mission: Readiness, an organization of 750 retired admirals and generals strengthening national security by ensuring kids stay in school, stay fit and stay out of trouble so they are eligible for military service or any other career path.