More than 500,000 kids could lose their automatic eligibility for free school meals thanks to a Trump administration proposal to cut access to food stamps made last week, USATODAY reports.

Under the proposed rule, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program would no longer provide benefits to as many as 3.1 million recipients solely because they are enrolled in food assistance programs run by the states where they live. But when the policy was announced it did not mention the potential impact on free school lunches, according to a letter from Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.

“The effect on school meal eligibility represents an important technical finding that must be made public so stakeholders have the opportunity to comment on all aspects of the rule’s impact,” Scott, the House Education and Labor Committee chairman, said in the letter.

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The Trump administration said the proposed rule was designed to eliminate "loopholes" and save money. The move was immediately assailed by anti-poverty advocates including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who called the proposal an "act of staggering callousness."

“For too long, this loophole has been used to effectively bypass important eligibility guidelines. Too often, states have misused this flexibility without restraint,” Perdue said in a statement last week.

Schools are required to directly certify children that live in households that participate in SNAP for free breakfast and lunch at public schools, according to the Food Research and Action Center. SNAP participation is also used to determine which schools qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision which allows them to provide free meals to all students in high-poverty areas.

Both of these programs are designed to cut down on additional paperwork and make it easier for kids to get access to meals.