Miller Statement on Nutrition Standards for School Meals
Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, issued the following statement today after First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled new standards for school meals that will result in healthier meals for kids across the nation. The new meal requirements will raise standards for the first time in more than 15 years and improve the health and nutrition of nearly 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs every school day.
“We know that when children don’t have enough nutritious food to eat, it can have serious negative effects on many aspects of their lives including their health and their ability to learn. Today one in three children are obese, which puts them at greater risk of heart disease, diabetes, and much more. While I am disappointed that Congress jumped back into this process last year and weakened some standards at the behest of special interests, USDA did a good job at addressing legitimate concerns, reducing costs while still moving the country forward so our kids are healthier.”
These new standards are the result of the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, legislation championed by the First Lady and signed by President Obama in 2010.
For more information about the final nutrition standards released today visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/nutritionstandards.htm.
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