Republican Suggests Kids Work at McDonald’s Instead of Getting Free Lunch

A Republican congressman has suggested that children should work at McDonald’s instead of relying on federally-funded school lunch programs.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump’s administration has ordered a temporary pause on nearly all federal grants and loans. The order, which is set to take effect at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, could paralyze thousands of programs that use government money, including school lunch programs and childhood cancer research.

Matthew J. Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in an internal memo ordering the pause on Monday that it was necessary because “the use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.”

What To Know

Representative Rich McCormick of Georgia suggested during an interview with CNN’s Pamela Brown on Tuesday that free lunch programs were a way for school children to “sponge off the government” after being asked if he would “support getting rid of school lunch for vulnerable kids.”

“When you talk about school lunches, hey, I worked my way through high school,” said McCormick. “I don’t know about you, but I worked since I was, before I was even 13 years old. I was picking berries in the field before we had child labor laws that precluded that. I was a paperboy. And when I was in high school, I worked my entire way through.

“I mean, how many people got their start at fast-food restaurants when they were kids?” he continued. “Versus just giving a blanket rule that gives all kids lunches in high school who are capable of going out and actually getting a job and doing something that makes them have value, thinking about their future instead of thinking about how they’re going to sponge out the government.”

McCormick went on to suggest that kids who received lunch without working during high school were being kept “on welfare” by the government.

“That’s what’s been the inner city problem for a very long time,” he added. “We need to have a top-down review so we can get people out of poverty. Because you know what? America’s very good at creating jobs and giving them worth. And we’ve been very, traditionally, good at that but we’re losing our way. And that’s when we give people incentives to stay at home and not work, that doesn’t work for America.”

Brown then pointed out that many children who receive school lunch “are not even of working age,” prompting McCormick to say “I get that” in response.

This is a developing story and will be updated.