Georgia Congressman faces backlash over comments about school lunch programs

U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), who represents Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, is under fire for remarks he made regarding government assistance programs, specifically free school lunches, during an interview with CNN on Tuesday.

What we know:

McCormick suggested that children who participate in school lunch programs should focus on their future rather than how they can "sponge off the government" when they don’t need to. He also proposed that teenagers should work during the summer to help pay for their meals, sharing that he picked berries before the age of 13 and worked as a paperboy in high school.

The congressman further called for a "top-down review" of federal spending, including school meal programs, arguing that Americans are losing their way due to government incentives that encourage people to stay home instead of working. He claimed that federal policies penalize individuals for seeking employment rather than helping them achieve financial independence.

McCormick’s comments come amid discussions on federal financial assistance, which totaled $3 trillion in fiscal year 2024. On Monday, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memo directing federal agencies to temporarily pause all federal assistance disbursements. However, just before it was set to take effect, U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked the directive. The White House later rescinded the memo on Wednesday due to legal challenges and confusion across the country.

RELATED: Live updates: Federal funding freeze; 1st White House press briefing

What they're saying:

McCormick’s remarks have sparked criticism from advocacy groups and political opponents, who argue that school meal programs provide critical support for low-income families. The congressman has yet to respond to the backlash.

In the state of Georgia, families at or below 130% of the federal poverty line can receive free lunch and families between 130% and 185% of the federal poverty line can receive a reduced-price lunch. That means a family with three children must earn less than $32,318 in order to receive free lunches.

Georgia State Representative Imani Barnes has introduced a bill titled "Healthy Start Act" that provides funds for healthy school lunches at no cost to students who quality. 

By the numbers:

More than 1.4 million (1 in 8) Georgians, including approximately 461,000 (1 in 5) children, are struggling with food insecurity in the state of Georgia, according to FeedingAmerica.org. Almost 47% of households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits have children. 

According to the AAA State of Play, the state of Georgia was in the top 10 states that are most dependent on free lunches for school children with almost 61% of its students receiving free lunches in 2022. 

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