First lady comes out swinging against GOP bill to create exemptions from new school meal rules

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke out today against a House committee's bill, "backed by Republicans and pushed by the food industry and some school officials, that would allow some districts to opt out of federal mandates passed in 2010 to reduce sodium and increase whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables in school lunches," Tom Hamburger reports for The Washington Post. (Image from CNN)

"This is unacceptable," Obama said, according to a White House press pool report. "It's unacceptable to me not just as first lady but also as a mother." Noting obesity statistics, she said "The stakes couldn't be higher on this issue. . . . The last thing we can afford to so right now is play politics with our kids health." And, exaggerating for effect, she added, "Now is not the time to roll back everything we have worked for. . . . We have to be willing to fight the hard fight now."

Obama said nutrition experts, not Congress, should set school nutrition standards. Many children have shown little interest in the healthy alternatives, which has led to large amounts of food being thrown out, Hamburger notes. "The effort fits with the spirit of Obama’s 'Let’s Move' campaign and other initiatives in which she has advocated for healthy eating and a reduction of obesity," Hamburger writes. "Until now, however, she has largely shied away from direct confrontations with lawmakers and industry groups."

The first lady of the United States seemed ready for a public fight Tuesday at a White House roundtable. Press pool reporter Helena Bottemiller Evich reported that about 2:15, White House aides "moved to usher the pool out of the room but FLOTUS spoke up and said 'let them stay.' The pool was ushered out at around 2:35 p.m., as the discussion (which began at approximately at 2 p.m.) continued."

Among those participating was Donna Martin, school-nutrition director in rural Burke County, Georgia, who said beforehand that "the new lunch standards are popular and may have helped the school football team win a statewide competition," Hamburger writes. For more from the press pool, see the attached comment.

"The School Nutrition Association, which represents cafeteria administrators, issued a statement on Tuesday calling the rules 'overly prescriptive' and citing Agriculture Department data showing a drop in school-lunch participation since the standards were adopted," David Joachim of The New York Times reports. "However, in an interesting twist on Tuesday, several former SNA presidents penned a letter to appropriators, asking them to reject calls for waivers," Agri-Pulse reports.