House GOP revolts against Biden proposed chocolate milk ban: ‘Totally unacceptable’
Jeremiah Poff
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A proposal by the Department of Agriculture to restrict the ability of schools to serve flavored milk products, including chocolate milk, is drawing harsh criticism from Republican lawmakers who say the proposal is an example of government overreach.
Earlier this year, the Department of Agriculture proposed new nutrition requirements for school lunches, including a proposal that would curb the ability of participating schools to serve chocolate milk and other flavored milk products out of concerns over high sugar content.
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In its proposal, the USDA noted that some of the outside groups the department had consulted in drafting the rule were “concerned about added sugars in a variety of foods commonly offered at breakfast, including flavored milks, sweetened cereals, muffins, and condiments and toppings.”
The proposal has met a cool reception among Republicans in the House of Representatives, who said a ban would harm the nation’s dairy farmers and is yet another example of the federal government interfering in what should be a decision made at the local level.
“The Biden administration believes that the federal government knows best in everything,” House Education and Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) told the Washington Examiner. “As a result, we continue to see this administration impose top-down regulations that do more harm than good. The contents of school meals are best left to local professionals and the cafeteria staff who care for America’s students every day and know what they will eat.”
Instead, Foxx said, policymakers should “focus on expanding healthy options for students, not burdensome restrictions that take away from well-rounded meals, impose unrealistic hurdles for schools, and remove the only nutrient-rich beverage students may consume.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, had previously sparred with New York City Mayor Eric Adams over a proposed chocolate milk ban in the city’s public schools. In a statement to the Washington Examiner, Stefanik noted that Adams backed off the proposal after she led a group of lawmakers in opposing the ban.
“Now, Joe Biden is embracing this far-left radical proposal to ban chocolate milk,” the congresswoman said. “This is totally unacceptable, and I will do everything in my power to stop these efforts. Flavored milk is one the best ways for kids to get essential dairy nutrients for growth and development.”
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-PA) compared the proposal to the administration’s previous efforts to ban gas stoves over environmental concerns.
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“First it was your gas stove, and now it is your child’s school meal,” Thompson told the Washington Examiner. “President Biden’s proposal to ban chocolate milk is another example of brazen government overreach. I’m proud to stand with America’s dairy farmers against Biden’s intrusion into our school cafeterias. Chocolate milk is a calcium-rich childhood favorite, and it is here to stay!”
Stefanik and Thompson reintroduced legislation in February that would require schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer flavored milk products.