Act to Improve the American Diet

Summary: Act to Improve the American Diet - Directs the President to establish a national program for diet and health through the coordination of activities between the Federal Government, State and local governments, voluntary organizations, and private entities. 
Requires the establishment of the President's Council on Diet and Health to advise the President on the national program. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Act to Improve the American Diet''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The Surgeon General of the Public Health Service has 
        stated that dietary patterns with excessive intake of foods 
        high in fat (especially saturated fat), calories, cholesterol 
        and sodium, contribute to the high rates of chronic diseases 
        among Americans. Reversing such dietary patterns should 
        decrease the incidence of these chronic diseases.
            (2) Currently, diet plays a major role in the development 
        of 4 of the top 7 diseases that are killers in the United 
        States: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
            (3) According to the Department of Health and Human 
        Services, America's poor diet and sedentary lifestyle 
        contribute to 300,000 to 580,000 deaths each year.
            (4) To make significant strides toward improving the health 
        of Americans, greater attention must be made to nutrition 
        education. The President could provide leadership by giving a 
        higher profile to the importance of a healthy diet.
            (5) Good nutrition is one of the most important factors in 
        determining long-term health.
            (6) Improvements in the diet of Americans can reduce the 
        health care cost of treating dietary-related diseases and 
        produce a savings of up to $200,000,000,000.
            (7) The Department of Health and Human Services and the 
        Preventive Services Task Force have recommended that health 
        care programs for individuals of all ages should include 
        dietary counselling.
            (8) Efforts must be made to identify and to remove the 
        barriers to optimal health and nutritional status in high-risk 
        groups, including minority and low-income population groups 
        (using methods that take into consideration their diverse 
        cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds); and special 
        attention should also be made to pregnant and lactating women, 
        to children, and to the elderly, who have special nutritional 
        needs.

SEC. 3. COORDINATION BETWEEN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE AND LOCAL 
              GOVERNMENTS, VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS, AND PRIVATE 
              ENTERPRISE REGARDING THE NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR A HEALTHY 
              DIET.

    (a) In General.--The President shall establish a national program 
for diet and health in accordance with the purpose described in 
subsection (b).
    (b) Purpose of Program.--The purpose of the National Program is to 
help coordinate, support, and assist nutrition education activities and 
programs by State and local governments and by private entities, 
including educational institutions, voluntary organizations, civic 
groups, professional associations, business organizations, and other 
private entities.
    (c) Coordination Regarding Intergovernmental Relationships and 
Public and Private Entities.--
            (1) Coordination in federal activities.--The National 
        Program shall assess the extent to which the purpose described 
        in subsection (b) is being carried out by the various 
        departments and agencies of the Federal Government, and shall 
        carry out the activities of the Program in coordination with 
        the departments and agencies involved.
            (2) Intergovernmental relationships.--The National Program 
        shall assess the nutrition education activities and programs 
        being carried out by State and local governments and by private 
        entities, and shall help coordinate, support, and assist the 
        activities and programs.
    (d) Certain Program Activities.--The activities of the National 
Program shall include (but are not limited to) the following:
            (1) Promoting the health of Americans by facilitating and 
        collaborating with Federal, State, local, and private 
        strategies to encourage the American people to eat a healthy 
        diet.
            (2) Initiating programs to inform the general public of the 
        importance of a healthy diet and its link to good health and 
        disease prevention.
            (3) Enlisting the active support and assistance of 
        individual citizens, civic groups, private enterprise, 
        voluntary organizations and others in efforts to promote and 
        improve the health of all Americans through healthy eating 
        habits.
            (4) Inviting appropriate Federal health agencies to 
        participate in the National Program.
            (5) Seeking to improve the diets of children, youth, 
        adults, minorities, senior citizens, and low-income individuals 
        by encouraging the development of community-wellness programs 
        and health education programs.
            (6) Working with State and local government to develop and 
        implement nutrition education programs.
            (7) Assisting health educational agencies at all levels in 
        developing high quality, innovative health programs which 
        emphasize the importance of diet to good health.
            (8) Developing cooperative programs with medical, dental, 
        social workers and other similar professional schools and 
        educational associations to encourage the implementation of 
        sound nutrition practices in medical services and education.
            (9) Assisting business, industry, government, and labor 
        organizations, and other workplace organizations or groups, in 
        developing and implementing sound nutrition programs to elevate 
        employee health and reduce the financial and human costs 
        resulting from a poor diet.
            (10) Increasing awareness among the American people about 
        the importance of producing healthy food and of the 
        availability of healthy food in the supermarkets, food 
        establishments, and food programs, and to encourage food 
        providers to provide and serve healthy meals and products.
    (e) Authority Regarding Non-Federal Contributions.--In carrying out 
activities under the National Program in a community (or other 
geographic area), the National Program may require that, as a condition 
of carrying out the Federal activities, non-Federal contributions be 
provided toward the costs of the activities.
    (f) Requirement Regarding Participation of Private Entities.--A 
private entity may be permitted to sponsor or otherwise participate in 
a particular activity of the National Program only if the entity does 
not promote, directly or indirectly, any health-related behavior that 
is inconsistent with the purpose of such activity.

SEC. 4. PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON DIET AND HEALTH.

    (a) In General.--The President shall provide for the establishment 
and operation of a council to be known as the President's Council on 
Diet and Health.
    (b) Duties.--The Council shall provide advice to the President 
regarding the National Program, including advice on the extent of 
progress being made toward achieving the goals of the Program, and 
shall recommend, as necessary, actions to accelerate progress. The 
Council shall assist in carrying out the Program, as necessary, and 
provide advice and guidance to State and local public health officials, 
and to private entities (including educational, voluntary, and civic 
groups), on how to promote diet and health.
    (c) Composition.--
            (1) In general.--The Council shall be composed of--
                    (A) such Federal officials or employees as the 
                President may designate to serve as members of the 
                Council; and
                    (B) 20 members appointed to the Council by the 
                President from among individuals who are not officers 
                or employees of the Federal Government and who possess 
                appropriate expertise or experience regarding nutrition 
                and health.
            (2) Certain requirements.--Of the members of the Council 
        appointed under paragraph (1)(B)--
                    (A) not fewer than 3 shall be individuals 
                representing a national organization concerned with 
                nutrition and health; and
                    (B) not fewer than 7 shall be individuals who 
                possess professional credentials demonstrating 
                particular expertise regarding food, nutrition, or 
                health, of which 3 individuals shall be knowledgeable 
                on nutrition and health among low-income populations or 
                among one or more racial or ethnic minority groups.
    (d) Chair.--The President shall designate an individual or 
individuals who are not officers or employees of the Federal Government 
to serve as the chair or chairs of the Council. A Chair shall serve at 
the pleasure of the President. The President shall seek to ensure that 
the Chair of the Council is an individual who is well-known by the 
public and who will be an appropriate advocate among the public with 
respect to obtaining the goals of the National Program.
    (e) Terms.--Each of the members of the Council appointed under 
paragraph (1)(B) shall be appointed for a term of 4 years, except that 
up to half of the initial appointments, when the Council is first 
created, may be for 2 years, and may upon the expiration of a term be 
reappointed by the President. A member of the Council may continue to 
serve after the expiration of his or her term until a successor is 
appointed. The President may at any time terminate the membership on 
the Council of any individual for cause.
    (f) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the membership of the Council does not 
affect the power of the remaining members to execute the duties of the 
Council.
    (g) Meetings.--The Council shall meet not less than once each 
fiscal year.
    (h) Compensation and Reimbursement of Expenses.--Members of the 
Council may not receive compensation for service on the Council. The 
members may, in accordance with chapter 57 of title 5, United States 
Code, be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary 
expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of the Council.
    (i) Staff; Administrative Support.--
            (1) In general.--The President shall furnish the Council 
        with such staff, quarters, supplies, facilities, and other 
        administrative support as may be necessary to carry out the 
        duties of the Council and assist in carrying out the National 
        Program.
            (2) Executive director.--To carry out the National Program, 
        the President shall appoint an executive director for the 
        Council, who shall serve until a new one is appointed.
    (j) Seal of Program.--The President shall provide for the 
development and use of a seal for the National Program.
    (k) Termination.--For purposes of section 14(a)(2)(B) of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Council shall continue in existence 
until otherwise provided by law after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    (a) Requests for Federal Information and Assistance.--The National 
Program and the Council may upon request receive from Federal agencies 
such information and other assistance as may otherwise be permitted by 
law, subject to the availability of funds to comply with the request.
    (b) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``Council'' means the council established 
        under section 4(a).
            (2) The term ``National Program'' means the program 
        established under section 3(a).

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    In addition to any other authorizations of appropriations that are 
available for the purpose of carrying out this Act, there are 
authorized to be appropriated to the National Program and the Council 
for such purpose $300,000 for fiscal year 1995, $500,000 for fiscal 
year 1996, and $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1997 and each subsequent 
fiscal year.