{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://harder.house.gov/media/press-releases/we-ve-got-milk-harder-passes-bill-to-include-whole-milk-in-healthier-school-meals", "We\u2019ve Got Milk: Harder Passes Bill to Include Whole Milk in Healthier School Meals", "2023-12-14", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "CA", "Josh Harder", "H001090", "harder.house.gov", "harder", "https://harder.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Public schools are currently banned from providing 2% or whole milk to students\n\nOver 20% of students in San Joaquin County depend on school meals to meet their nutritional needs\n\nWASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Josh Harder\u2019s bill passed the House of Representatives to lift the ban on schools providing 2% and whole milk to students. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act will make school meals healthier and offer students nutrient-dense whole milk through the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Milk is the number one source of protein, calcium, and Vitamin D for kids ages 2-11, and yet most children do not consume the USDA\u2019s recommended levels of dairy.\n\nWhole milk provides nutrients vital for immune health, including high-quality protein, zinc, selenium, and vitamins D, B12, and A, as well as bone growth and development during a child\u2019s school-age years. In addition to improved physical health, consuming whole milk has been shown to reduce feelings of hunger and improve academic performance. Currently, public school meals offer only 1% and skim milk options.\n\n\u201cBanning whole milk in schools turns out to have been a terrible idea,\u201d said Rep. Harder. \u201cWhole milk is one of the few nutrient-rich foods kids actually prefer that keeps them full and less likely to eat all the sugary treats. I\u2019m glad we can get rid of this ban and re-open options for our kids to keep them happy, healthy, and ready to do well in the classroom.\u201d\n\nWhole and 2% milk were removed from school meal programs over concerns that they increase childhood obesity. Since they were removed, pediatric obesity has actually increased across the country.The bill\u2019s passage comes after Harder wrote multiple bipartisanletters to the USDA to expand and increase access to milk products for children and new mothers.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://harder.house.gov/media/press-releases/we-ve-got-milk-harder-passes-bill-to-include-whole-milk-in-healthier-school-meals"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2764888815581799, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}