[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 2004)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 61141-61142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23209]



[[Page 61139]]

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Part V





The President





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Proclamation 7831--National School Lunch Week, 2004


                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 198 / Thursday, October 14, 2004 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 61141]]

                Proclamation 7831 of October 12, 2004

                
National School Lunch Week, 2004

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                The National School Lunch Program has provided healthy, 
                affordable lunches to our Nation's children for almost 
                60 years. The program now serves more than 28 million 
                children each day, many of whom might not otherwise eat 
                nutritious lunches. During National School Lunch Week, 
                we recognize the program's contributions to the health, 
                well-being, and education of our Nation's youth.

                In addition to providing the good nutrition that helps 
                young people succeed in school, healthy school lunches 
                and after-school snacks can help alleviate childhood 
                obesity and lower children's risk of developing health 
                problems. The National School Lunch Program also shares 
                information about healthy eating habits with children, 
                families, and communities; works to provide our 
                children with the best possible school meals; and 
                offers technical training and assistance to school 
                food-service staff. To support this program and other 
                important child nutrition programs, earlier this year I 
                signed into law the Child Nutrition and WIC 
                Reauthorization Act of 2004. This bill expands access 
                to programs for children of Armed Services personnel, 
                promotes healthy food choices, and makes it easier for 
                parents to enroll their eligible children.

                The National School Lunch Program has accomplished a 
                great deal in providing children with nutritious meals, 
                and we must continue working to ensure that every child 
                is well-nourished, healthy, and active. While children 
                who participate in the school lunch program consume 
                more fruits, vegetables, milk, and protein than 
                students who obtain lunch elsewhere, over 60 percent of 
                our Nation's young people still eat more than the daily 
                recommended serving of fat, and less than 20 percent 
                eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and 
                vegetables. To promote the right choices, the 
                Department of Agriculture's HealthierUS School 
                Challenge is encouraging schools and local communities 
                to create an environment that supports healthy 
                lifestyles for our Nation's children.

                The success of the National School Lunch Program stems 
                from the hard-working Americans who plan, prepare, and 
                serve meals to millions of children every day. In 
                recognition of the contributions of the National School 
                Lunch Program to the health, education, and well-being 
                of America's children, the Congress, by joint 
                resolution of October 9, 1962 (Public Law 87-780), as 
                amended, has designated the week beginning on the 
                second Sunday of October of each year as ``National 
                School Lunch Week'' and has requested the President to 
                issue a proclamation in observance of this week.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 10 
                through October 16, 2004, as National School Lunch 
                Week. I call upon all Americans to join the dedicated 
                individuals who administer the National School Lunch 
                Program in appropriate activities that support the 
                health and well-being of our Nation's children.

[[Page 61142]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand four, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

[FR Doc. 04-23209
Filed 10-13-04; 10:22 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P