Restore USDA School Meals Oversight
The USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (formerly Food and Nutrition Service) oversees federal Child Nutrition Programs — including the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program — that serve nearly 30 million children low-cost or free meals every school day. These programs are authorized under federal law and depend on dedicated federal staff to administer reimbursements, enforce nutrition standards, provide guidance to states, and ensure program integrity.
In 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) eliminated staffing and oversight capacity within the USDA office responsible for Child Nutrition Programs. Reductions in staff at the Food and Nutrition Administration have already raised concerns — documented by the Food Research & Action Center and the Government Accountability Office — about the office's ability to provide timely reimbursements to schools, respond to state administrators, and maintain consistent program operations. Without adequate federal staffing, the $23+ billion in annual funding that flows to school nutrition programs cannot be properly managed, putting meal access at risk for millions of children.
Constituents are urging their U.S. Senators and Representatives to take immediate action: restore full staffing and federal oversight capacity to the USDA Child Nutrition Programs office, and conduct congressional oversight to ensure these reductions are reversed. Congress holds the power of the purse and oversight authority over executive agencies — members should use both to protect the school meal programs that millions of families depend on.
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Live Call Script
Hello, I am an assistant calling on behalf of a constituent, {{first_name}} {{last_name}} from {{city}}, {{state}} zip code {{zip_code}}. The constituent is calling to urge {{representative_name}} to take immediate action to restore federal staffing and oversight capacity to the USDA Child Nutrition Programs office, which was gutted by DOGE in 2025. Nearly 30 million children rely on the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program every school day. These programs depend on dedicated federal staff to process reimbursements, enforce nutrition standards, and support state administrators. Staff reductions at the USDA Food and Nutrition Administration have already jeopardized the office's ability to carry out these basic functions, putting meal access at risk for millions of children across the country. The constituent is asking {{representative_name}} to: 1. Use congressional oversight authority to investigate and reverse the staffing cuts to the USDA Child Nutrition Programs office. 2. Support appropriations language that protects and restores adequate staffing levels for this office. 3. Oppose any further administrative or legislative actions that would reduce the federal government's capacity to administer school meal programs. This is not a partisan issue — it is a basic matter of keeping a functioning federal program running for the 30 million children who depend on it. The constituent respectfully requests {{representative_name}}'s commitment to act on this urgently.
Voicemail Version
I am calling on behalf of {{first_name}} {{last_name}}, a constituent from {{city}}, {{state}} {{zip_code}}. The constituent is urging {{representative_name}} to restore full staffing and federal oversight to the USDA Child Nutrition Programs office, which was severely cut by DOGE in 2025. Nearly 30 million children depend on the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, and reduced federal staffing is already threatening timely reimbursements and program operations. Please use your congressional oversight and appropriations authority to reverse these cuts and protect school meal access for children across the country. You may contact me at {{phone_number}} to discuss further.