Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title United States Code, of the Rule Submitted By the Food and Nutrition Service Relating to ``Application of Bostock V. Clayton County to Program Discrimination Complaint Processing-Policy Update''

Floor Speech

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Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I rise today in strong opposition to S.J. Res. 42, which I view as a cruel effort to green-light discrimination against LGBTQ+ children.

My colleagues--some of them--across the aisle have made false claims about a policy that the Biden administration has released, a policy that makes clear the obvious: that every child should be able to get lunch at school no matter their race, religion, ability, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. That is it--a simple, narrow directive from the USDA that says schools that receive Federal funding for nutrition assistance must not discriminate within the confines of these nutrition programs on the basis of gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation.

This is not about bathrooms. This is not about locker rooms. This is not about sports. This is also not about pushing some alleged agenda. This is about feeding children, period.

Since this policy was issued over a year ago, in May of 2022, the USDA has initiated no enforcement-related actions, not a single case-- zip, nada, zero. This is a ``solution'' in search of a problem. The actual problem is some of my Republican colleagues' continued efforts to pick on LGBTQ+ children for their own political gain. By overturning this policy, my Republican colleagues are essentially arguing that discrimination based on gender identity, sex, and sexual orientation is OK.

Well, I am so glad that there haven't been any instances of this happening. Just imagine the scenario that my colleagues are trying to allow. All of us--all of us--in the Senate represent LGBTQ+ children and their families.

Say you are one of those children and you are told you can't have your school breakfast or lunch because of who you are, depriving a child of eating because Congress has decided that that would be OK.

This is not OK. This resolution is not about doing good for the American people or making their lives better. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Resolutions like these have a profound impact on LGBTQ+ kids and their families.

I rise today to remind my Republican colleagues that their actions do not go unnoticed by LGBTQ+ children, kids who already face increased adversity every day in the form of harassment or bullying or discrimination. As a consequence, LGBTQ+ youth are four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and nearly 60 percent of LGBTQ+ youth report experiencing symptoms of depression.

Our words matter. Our actions here matter. When some Republicans attack gay and trans children, our kids hear that. They hear that they are not welcome at school, in public, and, tragically, sometimes even at home. They hear that their rights are lesser than their peers because of simply who they are. They hear that they don't have the same freedoms and liberties as every other kid. They hear that the adults in the room, including some of my colleagues here in Congress, do not care.

Well, I care, and that is why I am standing up against this attack and, frankly, all the attacks I am seeing on gay and trans kids. LGBTQ+ children deserve the freedom to be like any other kids, whether that be playing sports, joining a club, or just being a kid, free from bullying and harassment and discrimination. And that, of course, includes the school lunch line. These kids have a right to a life without harassment or further stigmatization.

Should this misguided resolution go through, Congress is giving folks a free pass to deny a school lunch to a kid just because of who they are. And, make no mistake, this resolution would make our LGBTQ+ kids feel less welcome and less safe in their own schools. This policy is about feeding children no matter who they are, and it is just that simple. Please vote no.

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