August 4, 2020 9:50 a.m.

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are making a push to support school meal programs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A release said the senators are urging the United States Department of Agriculture to continue “critical flexibility” that has allowed students to access meals throughout the pandemic. If extended throughout the upcoming school year, children would maintain access regardless of school opening status, and school nutrition programs would benefit from additional financial relief.

The release said the economic crisis caused by COVID-19 has resulted in millions of parents losing their jobs and millions more students becoming dependent on school- provided meals. The senators are urging the USDA to extend a variety of waivers that will help ensure low-income students can still access those meals.

The release said the senators are also calling on the USDA to reimburse schools for the transportation costs for delivering meals to low-income students.

Merkley and Wyden were part of a group of senators that sent a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue.