Kristin Robbins detailed multiple attempts to secure testimony from Representative Ilhan Omar regarding the “Feeding Our Future” fraud case, stating that outreach efforts have gone unanswered as questions remain about policy changes tied to pandemic relief legislation.

During a hearing, Robbins said, “We invited Representative Ilhan Omar to this hearing.”

She added, “We left her two voicemails at the end of March.”

Robbins continued, “We've written two letters, one on March 13 and one on March 30.”

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She also stated, “We also sent an invite on April 15 via her scheduling portal.” Robbins said, “And we have not had any response.”

Robbins said Omar’s involvement is relevant to understanding how changes to federal nutrition programs developed.

“And I do think it's very important to this discussion,” she said.

Robbins continued, “I'm just going to reference why I wanted to bring her into this conversation.”

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She pointed to legislative changes made in March 2020 under the Families First Coronavirus Pandemic Relief Act.

Robbins said, “There’s a lot of talk in a lot of these reports about how the feeding our future happened because guardrails were taken off the federal school nutrition program.”

She added, “And that is absolutely true.”

Robbins stated that the first change occurred in March 2020.

She said it was part of “the families first coronavirus pandemic Relief Act passed in March of 2020.”

She identified a provision called the Meals Act.

Robbins said it “was representative Ilhan Omar's actual Bill that she got incorporated into this larger coronavirus package.”

She described the impact of that provision.

“That meals act is what took the guardrails down on eligibility,” Robbins said.

She added that meals “no longer had to be consumed on site.”

Robbins continued, “They could be for a group, not for an individual.”

Robbins said the changes contributed to what later became the fraud case. “The meals act really is what loosened the guard rails on the whole federal nutrition program,” she said.

She added that it “led to the scandal we have seen that we now call feeding our future, but was actually much broader than that.”

To provide additional context, Robbins introduced a video of Omar discussing the Meals Act.

In the recording, Omar said, “So we got a chance to create a law called the Meals Act that makes it easy in this time of pandemic for those kids who aren't in school who are at home don't starve.”

She added that the law allowed families “to get a chance to get food and go to those places where food is being given out.”

Omar referenced a specific meal site in the video. “So I'm very thankful for Safari for being part of those places where food is being given out,” she said.

Omar added, “Also for making food everyday and helping those kids families in need of food.”

She said, “Each day Safari gives out 2,300 families and kids meals.”

Omar continued, “That's a very important thing.” She said, “A lot of young kids live in hunger in this country or their families don't have a way to feed them.”

Omar added that access to meals is important “especially in this month of Ramadan where a lot of families don't have jobs.”

She said, “For them not to worry about how they'll feed their kids is important.”

Omar concluded, “So I'll thank places like Safari and those who came to volunteer for those families in need.”

Robbins noted the location of the video and its connection to the broader case.

“As you saw in the video, she talks about using the Meals Act as a way to make it easier for families to get access to food during the pandemic,” Robbins said.

She stated that she intends to continue seeking responses. “I do plan to follow up with her staff or her directly,” Robbins said.

She added that she is seeking “testimony on the record or in a written response.” Robbins said she wants clarification on “why she brought that” and “how that actually materially affected the ability of restaurants like Safari.”

Robbins noted that Safari was a major site tied to the program. She said it “was the number one meal site sponsor in all of the feeding our future site sponsors.”

She added, “They got $12 million and they were later indicted.”

Robbins said further clarification is necessary. “I think understanding her role in this is very important for the history of understanding this case is.”

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