releases: https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-urges-usda-continue-school-meal-flexibility-waivers-maine-students
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-urges-usda-continue-school-meal-flexibility-waivers-maine-students | Senator Collins Urges USDA to Continue School Meal Flexibility Waivers for Maine Students | 2020-08-21 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Republican | House | ME | Susan Collins | C001035 | www.collins.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), along with 19 of her colleagues, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to continue utilizing existing flexibilities that have allowed students to access much needed schoolmeals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.In Maine,82,000 children rely on free and reduced-priced lunch programs during the school year, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated food needs across the State. We appreciateUSDA's use of child nutrition program waiver authority, flexibility provided, and work with state agencies, schools and non-school sponsoring organizations to provide meals through various child nutrition programs when schools were unexpectedly closed in the spring,the Senators wrote. We also applaud the extension of these flexibilities through the summer months. Many schools and families are currently determining their plans for the upcoming school year, including plans for school meals,the Senators continued. We ask you and theUSDAteam to continue utilizing child nutrition program waivers that Congress provided in a manner consistent with existing authorities and program objectives. In addition to Senator Collins, the letter was signed bySenate Agriculture Committee ChairmanPat Roberts (R-KS)and SenatorsJohn Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), SteveDaines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Charles Grassley (R-IA), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Inhofe (R-OK), James Lankford (R-OK), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and John Thune (R-SD). In March, all four members of Maine's Congressional DelegationwroteUSDAin support ofeligibilityflexibilitythat iscritical to maintaining children's access to meals during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, the DelegationwroteUSDASecretary Perdueagain to express their full support for a request by the Maine Department of Education for a waiver extension, which was successfully extended through the end of the summer. Earlier this month, Senators Collins and Maggie Hassan (D-NH)led a letterthat was signed by 34 of their colleagues to urge theUSDAto continuetheseflexibilitiesthroughout the 2020-2021 school year.If these flexibilities are extended past the end of summer, children would maintain access regardless of school opening status, and struggling school nutrition programs would benefit from additional financial relief. ClickHEREto read the full letter. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |