MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte-area Congressman Tim Moore is responding after the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education claimed a new budget passed by the U.S. House would threaten special education programs and free or reduced lunches for students.
“Actually read this bill, go online, it’s there,” he told Queen City News on Thursday. “You want find the word ‘Medicaid’ in there, you won’t find anything about school lunch in there, it’s simply not true.”
Moore insisted that a budget plan passed by House Republicans on Tuesday will not get in the way of funding for essential programs provided to students at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. This past week, district’s school board raised several concerns, arguing their math was showing harmful cuts would have to be made.
“Their arguments make no sense, they make no sense at all,” said Moore. “So, they’re saying we should oppose this bill because of something that might happen down the road in another bill. That’s nonsensical.”
CMS board member Summer Nunn, speaking for the entire board, told Queen City News that from what they have seen in the bill and heard during subcommittee meetings, the current House proposal makes it impossible to avoid cuts for Medicaid-backed special ed or school lunch.
“We are actually glad to hear they’re committed to not cutting these things, committed to not cutting Medicaid that affects our schools or the school nutrition program, we just have concern when we dive deep into the language,” said Nunn.
The proposed House Budget is far from ready, as they still have to hammer out a final version with the Senate before it can be sent to the President.
The school board also provided the following statement on which programs could be in jeopardy.
Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives representing the Charlotte area continue to share that the House’s Concurrent Resolution Budget passed by the U.S. House this week will not hurt students across our state and our nation.
While we appreciate their comments, the Board of Education remains concerned that Instructions Three and Four of part (b) in Section 2001 under the Title II – Reconciliation and Related Matters in the CR have mandated cuts that will impact school districts across the country should this pass the Senate.
- In Instruction Three, there is a mandated budget cut of $880 billion in the Committee on Energy and Commerce Budget. This committee oversees funding for Medicaid services.
- In Instruction Four, there is a mandated budget cut of $330 billion in the Committee on Education and Workforce Budget. This committee oversees funding for school nutrition, including the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program.
We agree that the CR does not specifically use the words “cuts to Medicaid and school meals.” However, the committee budgets that have jurisdiction over these programs mandate hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts. According to previous House committee meetings and widespread reporting, part of these mandated cuts include an elimination of Medicaid reimbursements for students with an IEP and/or Section 504 plan (both address resources for children with special needs), and changes to the CEP threshold formula. …
Representatives Harris and Moore have stated that the CR does not make cuts to Medicaid funding for schools nor to school lunch funds/eligibility. The Board of Education is glad to hear their commitment to protect these programs, and that they will fight to protect the specialized services and school meals for all of our students who need those resources.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
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