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House Education and Labor Committee Passes the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (H.R. 5504)
Washington, D.C. – July 15, 2010 – The Food Research and Action Center applauds the House Education and Labor Committee for passing the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act (H.R. 5504) in a bipartisan vote. This bill, sponsored by Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) and Ranking Subcommittee Member Todd Platts (R-Pa.) provides critical support for low-income children by improving their access to the nutritious food they need – whether they are in school, in out-of-school time programs, or in child care. And it takes important measures to improve the quality of nutrition that low-income children receive. It ensures significant movement towards the goals of ending child hunger by 2015 and dramatically reducing childhood obesity.
Senate Bill 3307 'Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010'
Every five years the window of opportunity opens on Capitol Hill as lawmakers and their staff work together to improve, tweak and reauthorize the federal Child Nutrition Programs.
The School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program are permanently authorized. However the other child nutrition programs that affect school nutrition operators must be reauthorized every five years. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), State Administrative Expenses (SAE), the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and other smaller pieces of the complete package of child nutrition programs must be renewed because they have actual expiration dates. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 expired on September 30, 2009 was extended until September 30, 2010.
Thanks to the School Nutrition Association and the Food Research and Action Center for their ongoing updates on this important legislation.
Key improvements in this bill include:
* Expanding the Afterschool Meal Program to all 50 states, an important step taken during mark-up (right now, only 13 states and the District of Columbia can operate this program)
* Providing competitive grant funds to promote the expansion of the School Breakfast Program
* Lowering area eligibility for Summer Food to 40 percent in rural areas
* click URL to view all key improvements
The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) is the leading national nonprofit organization working to improve public policies and public-private partnerships to eradicate hunger and undernutrition in the United States.
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Arizona Delegation in Washington, D.C.
at
One Table, Many Voices:
A Mobilization to Overcome Poverty & Hunger
Conference
June 4-7, 2005 - American University
Photo taken by
TAMERA ZIVIC
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