A House committee on Thursday endorsed a Republican plan to allow some schools to opt out of healthier meal standards.
The vote came as first lady Michelle Obama campaigned in support of the standards. Earlier this week, she met with school nutrition officials who said the guidelines are working in their schools, and urged lawmakers not to water them down. The House will likely take up the bill in the next few weeks.
The rules set by Congress and the Obama administration over the past several years require more fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the lunch line. Also, there are limits on sodium, sugar and fat.
Some school nutrition directors have lobbied for a break, saying the rules have proved to be costly to implement. In addition, tea party groups have opposed the rules as being an example of unwarranted federal interference in local matters.
About 32 million children participate in school meal programs each day.
The Republican provision in an agriculture spending bill would allow schools to opt out of the standards for the next school year if the schools are losing money on meal programs for a six-month period. The House Appropriations Committee rejected, by a 29-22 vote, a Democratic amendment that would have removed the GOP language.
A subcommittee approved the spending bill last week.
“Bottom line is schools are finding the regulations to be too much, too quick,” said Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala., who wrote the provision. “They need more time.”
Democrats said they were concerned it was an attempt to permanently roll back the standards.
“We don’t tell kids, you don’t have to take math if it’s hard, science if it’s hard,” said Rep. Sam Farr of California, the committee’s top Democrat, who offered the amendment to strike the provision.
White House Spokesman Jay Carney said the House provision “replaces the judgment of doctors and nutritionists with the opinions of politicians regarding what is healthy for our kids.”
The schools pushing for changes say limits on sodium and requirements for more whole grains are particularly challenging, while some school officials say kids are throwing away the fruits and vegetables that are now required in lunches.
The School Nutrition Association, a group composed of school nutritionists, praised the committee’s action. .
“€We are all working to encourage students to make nutritious choices, but in many school cafeterias, these regulations are hindering those efforts,” said Leah Schmidt, president of the association. “School meal programs need more flexibility to plan healthy menus that appeal to students.”
The Senate did not include the opt-out language in its version of the spending bill.
The new rules are a major component of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move!€ campaign to reduce the number of overweight children through exercise and better nutrition. They are the first changes in 15 years to the $11 billion school lunch program.
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