Schools across America would have the flexibility to offer flavored and unflavored whole milk and 2-percent milk options under a bipartisan, bicameral bill supported by U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) that is slated to be signed into law by the president.
“I am proud that my bill, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, passed the House today and now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature,” Rep. Thompson said on Monday.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 15 approved the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025, S. 222, which U.S. Sens. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced on Jan. 23. Rep. Thompson and U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA) on the same day introduced their chamber’s identical H.R. 649 to revise requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“I have worked for a decade to restore whole milk to our school cafeterias, which have been limiting healthy choices for students, but that changes today,” said Rep. Thompson, chairman of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. “Whole milk is an essential building block for a well-rounded and balanced diet, and students should have the option to choose the milk they love.”
Currently, schools participating in the National School Lunch Program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored.
Once enacted, the bill modifies the restrictions and permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. The milk that is offered may be organic or nonorganic.
Further, schools currently must provide a substitute for fluid milk, on receipt of a written statement from a licensed physician, for students whose disability restricts their diet. Under the bill, a parent or legal guardian may also provide the written statement.
Additionally, schools currently participating in the program must provide meals that meet certain nutrition requirements; USDA regulations require that the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories.
Under the enacted bill, fluid milk is excluded from the saturated fat content calculation; milk fat included in any fluid milk provided by the program must not be considered saturated fat for the purposes of measuring compliance with USDA regulations, according to the Congressional Record bill summary.
“I’m thrilled that my bipartisan bill has passed the House and is heading to the president’s desk,” said Rep. Schrier. “This bill will improve children’s nutrition by allowing schools to provide the types of milk most kids prefer to drink, and I’m eager to see this legislation signed into law.”
The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act has garnered support from the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Milk Producers Federation, the International Dairy Foods Association, and the American Dairy Coalition, among several others.