CALL-TO- ACTION: Tell Congress to Extend USDA’s Waiver Authority
February 24, 2022
Early in the pandemic, Congress gave the USDA the authority to issue child nutrition waivers so that schools and local organizations could adapt their meal programs and provide meals to children in ways that work best for their communities. However, USDA’s waiver authority is currently set to expire on June 30, meaning it will not be able to renew any of the existing waivers for the summer or SY22-23. Congress must extend this authority to maintain the critical flexibilities that districts need to ensure children still have access to school meals and to address the ongoing challenges caused by the supply chain disruptions.
Contact your members of Congress today and urge them to extend USDA’s waiver authority! It’s easy using the AASA AdvocacyApp:
1. Go to the Documents section of the app for the text of the email to send to your members of Congress.
2. Cut/paste the email and send to your members of Congress. To find the email addresses of your members go to the “Congressional Outreach” section of the app and click on the email listed for the education staffer. Consider personalizing your outreach to that person with the text and include any specific experiences you are having that detail why the waivers are critical for your district.
