Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Child Nutrition
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The meals children eat during and after school and in child care would be dramatically improved under bipartisan legislation introduced today by U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities, U.S. Rep. Todd Russell Platts (R-PA), ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities, and other lawmakers.
At a press conference, daytime host, author and child nutrition advocate Rachael Ray urged swift passage of the bill.
The legislation, “Improving Nutrition for America’s Children,” will dramatically improve the quality of meals children eat both in and out of school and in child care settings, support community efforts to reduce childhood hunger and, for the first time, establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools. Nationally, one-third of children are either overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.
“We are on the brink of a national crisis with our children’s health. The barriers that prevent children from accessing quality meals mean more children are at risk of obesity and poor nutrition and this has serious implications for the health and well-being of the future of this country,” said Miller. “This legislation creates a nutritional safety net for millions of children who rely on the child nutrition programs by meeting children’s nutritional needs at every step along the way -- in school, on the weekends and during the summer. Child hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation” "Given the serious fiscal challenges facing our country, we must ensure that we devote our limited resources to our nation's most urgent priorities," said Platts. "Providing nutritious meals and improving health standards for our nation's children, especially those most in need, are such priorities. I am pleased to join with Chairman George Miller and Chairwoman Carolyn McCarthy in sponsoring this important legislation."
“This legislation addresses the need to work with children of all ages, from infants to children in high school on forming healthy habits. Being overweight and obese increases the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and hypertension, among others,” said McCarthy (D-NY). “It is critically important for us to teach children the importance of healthy lifestyles at an early age, before they enter school when their behaviors are still beginning to form. This bill will encourage the types of activities that will contribute to students’ accumulated physical activity during the school day.”
“There isn't a community in America that's hunger-free,” U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) said. “This year, with Chairman Miller's leadership, we can make great progress toward President Obama's goal of ending childhood hunger in America by 2015. I am hopeful that Congress -- in a bipartisan way -- will be up to the task.”
“This much-needed Child Nutrition Reauthorization will both increase access to food for hungry school kids and, just as important, improve the nutritional quality of the foods children eat at school. Even as adult obesity has doubled in recent years, we have seen child obesity triple. And given that kids consume roughly 35-50% of their daily calories during the school day, we have to work towards improving the nutritional quality of school food,” said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). “This bill takes important steps to address these problems, and will help to ensure all of our kids a healthier future. I am glad to see this bill introduced today, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to help make it reality.”
The legislation mirrors key investments proposed by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in her “Let’s Move” initiative, including reducing childhood obesity and improving school wellness. It will also provide new school food safety guidelines and encourage public and private partnerships to improve child nutrition.
Building on the strong investments in child nutrition passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee earlier this year, this legislation would use Medicaid and SCHIP data to automatically enroll eligible children in the federal school meals programs. It would also make it easier for high-poverty schools to serve meals at no cost to eligible children.
The legislation responds directly to a GAO investigation, conducted at Miller’s behest, regarding the safety of the meals in school. It would expand food safety requirements to extend to all areas where food is stored, prepared and served. It would also strengthen recall procedures to improve communication and speed notification between regulatory agencies and schools to ensure recalled food is not in served in the school meals programs.
Recognizing the need for significant reforms beyond the classroom, this legislation would also, for the first time, create minimum standards for food sold outside the cafeteria, such as through vending machines.
The legislation has the support of anti-hunger, nutrition and education organizations.
For a fact sheet on the legislation, click here.
To view video excerpts of today’s news conference, click here.
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