WASHINGTON — House Republicans have temporarily blocked the $4.5 billion legislation that would expand eligibility for national school lunch programs and establish baseline nutrition standards.
Arguing that the nutrition package is too expensive and an example of government overreach, the GOP sought to amend the bill using a procedural maneuver — seeking to tack on a provision that would require background checks for childcare workers — thereby delaying final passage.
“Everyone recognizes the importance of extending child nutrition programs, but extending these programs does not mean expanding them,” said Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), the top Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee. “We could expand these programs and improve them with no added costs to taxpayers.”
Democrats countered that Republicans are merely attempting to derail the bill.
“It is disappointing that Republicans decided to pull a political stunt to delay passage of this bill at the expense of the deserving children who need healthy meals,” said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.
House Democrats opted to push the final vote back to Thursday and bring up the Republican amendment as a standalone bill, rather than vote on the amendment’s incorporation into the broader legislation Wednesday.
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