Courtney Bill Promotes 'Flavorful' School Milk Consumption

VERNON, CT/WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Rep Joe Courtney (CT-02) and fellow Congressman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) have introduced what has been dubbed the "School Milk Nutrition Act of 2019," a bipartisan piece of legislation designed to "expand milk options for students and reverse the decline of 1 percent low fat milk consumption in schools."

The legislation "reaffirms" a regulation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture by providing schools with the option to serve low-fat, 1 percent milk with flavor and requires that the milk offered is "consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans."

"Milk provides the cornerstone of a healthy meal for our nation’s children," Courtney said. "It packs valuable nutrients including protein, potassium, and calcium—a solid foundation for building a healthy menu in America’s schools."

Courtmney said the nation has experienced a 10 percent decline in school milk consumption in recent years as a result of low-fat flavored 1 percent milk being removed from some from school menus.

"Our bill will positively impact the quality of children’s diets while supporting our local family dairies," he said.