Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett expressed the concerns of Virgin Islands families and community members about the future of federal nutrition programs that support school lunches and breakfasts for students in the U.S. Virgin Islands and shares the work she has been doing for food security.
“I share the deep concerns of parents, educators, and community leaders across the Virgin Islands about the future of school meals for our children. More than 11,000 Virgin Islands students currently receive free lunch through the National School Lunch Program, regardless of income. This program is not only about feeding our children—it is about ensuring their success in the classroom and their well-being at home. Not only does the government shutdown threaten the short-term funding of SNAP and other food program but the massive cuts enacted by Republicans in budget reconciliation threaten to eviscerate the programs that make universal school meals possible nationwide.
“The Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act cuts $186 billion from SNAP, impacting 11,100 Virgin Islands households, and reduces benefits by 20 percent nationwide. Republicans are cutting approximately $900 billion from Medicaid and more than $500 billion from Medicare. In the Virgin Islands alone, 21,000 Medicaid enrollees face potential loss of services or disenrollment, while more than 20,000 Medicare beneficiaries will see their healthcare access severely compromised. Our seniors, families, and most vulnerable residents depend on these programs for lifesaving care.
“These federal funding cuts directly threaten the future of school meal programs. When families lose SNAP or Medicaid eligibility, their children lose access to free or reduced-price school meals. The Community Eligibility Provision, which enables universal free lunch, depends on students being certified as eligible through SNAP and Medicaid. Due to Republican cuts and new work requirements, fewer families will qualify for these programs, meaning fewer schools will qualify for universal free meals.
“I have a strong record of supporting school nutrition programs. I sponsored the bipartisan Farm to School Act to bring more fresh, locally grown foods into schools, doubling funding from $5 million to $10 million. The program has channeled more than $52 million into projects across all states and territories, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, benefiting nearly 21 million students in 47,000 schools. I have also championed legislation to expand nutrition education through the Food and Nutrition Education in Schools Act. In 2019, I successfully advocated for a 17 percent increase in the federal reimbursement rate for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program in our territory, providing much-needed relief to the Virgin Islands Department of Education.
“I want the people of the Virgin Islands to know that I am committed to working with our local legislators and government officials to develop solutions that protect our students from food insecurity amid devastating Republican cuts. I am hopeful that members of Congress will recognize the cascading effect of these cuts on communities and recognize that tax cuts to billionaires should not be the priority. Our children deserve access to healthy, nutritious meals. I will continue fighting at the federal level while supporting our local leaders in their efforts to secure the future of school lunch programs and protect our students and families.”
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