H.R. 263·Elementary Beginner
A Bill to Provide Free Fresh Fruit at Elementary School Lunch
Rep. Romero (D-NM)
Every elementary school lunch must include a fresh fruit option at no extra cost.
Sec. 1 — Mandate
Public elementary school lunches shall include at least one fresh fruit option each day at no cost to the student.
Sec. 2 — Funding
$220 million annually through USDA.
Sec. 3 — Enforcement
USDA inspects participating districts.
Sec. 4 — Effective Date
Next school year.
Tournament Prep
Mechanical parts, sourced & timed
Use this as your pre-round checklist. Memorize the source citation. Time yourself to the delivery target.
- Bill / Number
- H.R. 263 — A Bill to Provide Free Fresh Fruit at Elementary School Lunch
- Funding source
- $220M/yr from USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
- Timeline
- Next school year.
- Realistic — expands an existing USDA program.
- Enforcing agency
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
- Yes — FNS already inspects school meals.
- Penalty for non-compliance
- Reimbursement reduction for non-compliant districts.
- Source citation
- USDA ERS (2023), 'School Meals and Childhood Nutrition' — ers.usda.gov.
- Delivery time (read aloud)
- 50s
Strongest counter-argument
Kids throw away fresh fruit — this is wasted spending.
Your pre-emptive answer
USDA (2019) plate-waste studies show fruit waste drops by 25% when offered as a default and at the start of the line. Implementation design solves the waste problem.