Passenger Trains > Deal Reached on " Clean" CR

Just announced that Speaker Pelosi and Tres. Sec'y. Mnunchin have reached a deal on a " clean" CR the will fund the Federal gov't. through Dec. 11, 2020. 

   The deal includes an additional $ 8 B for school lunches and $ 22 B for the Commodity Credit Corporation ( farmers aid) but says nothing about any other bailout funds.

   Therefore, I would say that the massive airline layoffs and Amtrak's tri-weekly plans for Oct. 1 are a certainty.

   Ross Rowland 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/20 18:09 by co614.

co614 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just announced that Speaker Pelosi and Tres.
> Sec'y. Mnunchin have reached a deal on a " clean"
> CR the will fund the Federal gov't. through Dec.
> 11, 2020. 
>
>    The deal includes an additional $ 8 B for
> school lunches and $ 22 B for the Commodity Credit
> Corporation ( farmers aid) but says nothing about
> any other bailout funds.
>
>    Therefore, I would say that the massive
> airline layoffs and Amtrak's tri-weekly plans for
> Oct. 1 are a certainty.
>
>    Ross Rowland 

Are there any other "features" to this deal?

8 BILLION for school lunches?

66

Since this is just for the regular budget expenses I think any airline or Amtrak money would come from a new covid bill. Those have been held up because the Democrats want to add a lot of additional items beyond the covid situation just like the Republicans wanted to add a new FBI building on to the last covid bill. When the add-ons get eliminated or reduced some additional money may come.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

Can anyone hear The Fat Lady warming up yet?

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 8 BILLION for school lunches?
>
> 66

Maybe they should consider contemporary dining options....its been said they're popular with younger folks.

Dave

The Wall Street Journal notes that funds already set aside for farmers were taken as part of the Administration's efforts to provide Covid-19 assistance to farmers and farm communities. Some of the prior appropriation was used to help farmers who were hurt in the tariff tit-for-tat. This new money will make up for that diversion.  None of the new money will go to Big Oil or ethanol refiners who were funded under parts of the Agriculture and Energy appropriations.

The farm bills have always been the source of funding for school lunches, that's why there's so much wheat, corn, peanut butter, ketchup, etc in the plans. The $8 billion (yup) for school lunches will go to districts to make up for payments which were used to help families buy groceries when school lunch food assistance was disrupted by schools closing.

Paywall likely:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/congressional-leaders-debate-farm-aid-ahead-of-spending-vote-11600799412?mod=hp_lead_pos1

In LA the school district has been making bag lunches for the students who normally get either reduced price or free lunch. Which is over 60% of the students. 
It's called "Grab and Go" and they hand out about 15000 a day. Spent some time working with the Red Cross on this program.
Yes you get tired but the looks from the families getting the meals makes it worth it.

I dont understand who thinks it's a good idea that the taxpayers pay for kid's food? When did this start??

Posted from Android

Bet Amtrak could sell them box lunches for half that amount. Just add A1 sauce to the box and chew.

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 8 BILLION for school lunches?
>
> 66

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I dont understand who thinks it's a good idea that
> the taxpayers pay for kid's food? When did this
> start??
>
> Posted from Android

You continue to show the world how kind and caring of a person you are.

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I dont understand who thinks it's a good idea that
> the taxpayers pay for kid's food? When did this
> start??
>
> Posted from Android
A quick check of the internet shows it was instituted by the National School Lunch Act of 1946. That's right, 1-9-4-6.
And by the way, it wasn't just to help children's nutritional well-being, but also to prop up food prices for the poor, suffering producers.
Even Ebenezer Scrooge would have liked that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/20 23:33 by wpamtk.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In LA the school district has been making bag
> lunches for the students who normally get either
> reduced price or free lunch. Which is over 60% of
> the students. 
> It's called "Grab and Go" and they hand out about
> 15000 a day. Spent some time working with the Red
> Cross on this program.
> Yes you get tired but the looks from the families
> getting the meals makes it worth it.

Thank you for doing that work -- very admirable!

The statistic you mentioned is both shocking and sadly unsurprising, and just goes to show how much of a bubble we live in. We complain about not getting freshly-cooked meals on china on taxpayer-supported trains while a significant portion of the nation's children *in the wealthiest nation on earth* rely on school lunches lest they become malnourished. Even if some believe that many of those families are incompetent or irresponsible, there are many who are trying their hardest to scrape by and still can't afford to put food on their plates. These are real problems and really put the whining about frivolities here into perspective.

Here in Ohio my kids get a free breakfast and lunch every day. I think till the end of 2020 but not sure.

Can’t say I support it but there are worse uses for our tax money.

Posted from iPhone

The kid's meals are probably better than what Amtrak serves.  I'd be willing to bet theres lots of waste in the program.  Just like welfare. Many need it.  Others don't but take advantage of the program but not in a good way.  Sure there are deserving kids who need the meals. But probalby just as many are getting free food when their family can afford to provide the needed lunch and or breakfast for them. At taxpayer expense. When I was in school (and it was well after 1946), I remember the teacher collecting "milk money" to pay for a daily small carton of milk if desired. No free ride there. Nor was any expected. 

Always remember.....there but for the Grace of God go I !!!

     Ross Rowland 

howeld Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here in Ohio my kids get a free breakfast and
> lunch every day. I think till the end of 2020
> but not sure.
>
> Can’t say I support it but there are worse uses
> for our tax money.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Here's the post from the school system my son goes to (and yes, we have IN CLASS school - not virtual learning)  First day of school was 8/5, kids wear masks, room have been rearrange, etc, plus attendance at spoting events is limited.

Batesville Community School Corporation (BCSC) announced that the USDA has approved a nationwide waiver, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, allowing all students, regardless of economic status, to receive free breakfast and lunch at school. This program became effective last Thursday, September 10th, beginning with lunch that day. According to the USDA, this program will continue through the end of the first semester, December 18, 2020, or until federal funds designated for this program are exhausted.BCSC reminds parents and students that current money will remain in student meal accounts to help prepare for if or when meals are no longer free. Also, charges made before September 10th still must be paid and this only covers the cost of a full reimbursable meal, which is the meal that is listed on the daily menu. This does not include extras or à la carte items, milk only at lunch, snacks, or snack milk. Students may still purchase these types of items if they have a positive balance in their lunch accoun



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/20 05:35 by scraphauler.

DavidP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> goneon66 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 8 BILLION for school lunches?
> >
> > 66
>
> Maybe they should consider contemporary dining options....its been said they're popular with younger folks.
>
> Dave

From the pictures I've seen of school lunches, I'd say the school lunches inspired the contemporary dining options.

Brain

We got a similar letter to what Scraphauler got. I know our school system had the High school cafeteria open all summer for any kids who needed food. Not sure how much that was utilized.


My kids school lunch is $2.10 or 2.20 a day - not really sure. I have a 9th and 4th grader. They have an account that we put money in and they use a PIN number. We get a note when the balance gets low.

I could see it really helping some families with a lot of younger kids however I’m afraid this will become one of those programs that never dies.

Since we are really off the topic track. If you really want to see waste in the school system take a look at post secondary program. Sold as free college to parents but the school system has to pay the college for the student. The cost charged to the local school exceeds what the state reimburses so the taxpayers have to pick up the difference. My wife, a high school english teacher, does a harder, more thorough lesson than what is offered at the local college that we are paying more for. Those college credits may not transfer to which ever college the student chooses or are completely wasted if the student doesn’t attend any more college. The students see it as a way to get out of school for some of the day....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/20 06:05 by howeld.

Maybe Amtrak could distribute school lunches which would dictate daily service instead of three days a week.  Just kidding, but everything is topsy-turvy these days.