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74–346 PDF 2002

S. HRG. 107–302

EXAMINE NUTRITION ISSUES SURROUNDING

SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS

HEARING

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,

NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

UNITED STATES SENATE

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

MARCH 6, 2001

Printed for the use of the

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

(

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.agriculture.senate.gov

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana, Chairman

JESSE HELMS, North Carolina

THAD COCHRAN, Mississippi

MITCH MCCONNELL, Kentucky

PAT ROBERTS, Kansas

PETER G. FITZGERALD, Illinois

CRAIG THOMAS, Wyoming

WAYNE ALLARD, Colorado

TIM HUTCHINSON, Arkansas

MICHEAL D. CRAPO, Idaho

TOM HARKIN, Iowa

PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont

KENT CONRAD, North Dakota

THOMAS A. DASCHLE, South Dakota

MAX BAUCUS, Montana

J. ROBERT KERREY, Nebraska

BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, Arkansas

ZELL MILLER, Georgia

DEBBIE A. STABENOW, Michigan

BEN NELSON, Nebraska

MARK DAYTON, Minnesota

KEITH LUSE, Staff Director

DAVID L. JOHNSON, Chief Counsel

ROBERT E. STURM, Chief Clerk

MARK HALVERSON, Staff Director for the Minority

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(III)

C O N T E N T S

Page

HEARING(S):

Examine Nutrition Issues Surrounding School Lunch Programs ........................ 01

Tuesday, March 6, 2001

STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY SENATORS

Lugar, Hon. Richard G., a U.S. Senator from Indiana, Chairman, Committee

on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry ............................................................. 01

Baucus, Hon. Max, a U.S. Senator from Montana ................................................ 06

Harkin, Hon. Tom a U.S. Senator from Iowa, Ranking Member, Committee

on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry ............................................................. 02

Leahy, Hon. Patrick J., a U.S. Senator from Vermont ......................................... 19

Lincoln, Hon. Blanche L., a U.S. Senator from Arkansas .................................... 05

Stabenow, Hon. Debbie, a U.S. Senator from Michigan ....................................... 08

WITNESSES

Hurt, Marilyn, President, American School Food Service Association,

accompanied by: Marcia Smith, President Elect, American School Food

Service Association, Bartow, Florida; Gaye Lynn MacDonald, Vice

President, American School Fund Service Association, Bellingham,

Washington; Nancy Stiles, Chair, Public Policy Legislative Committee,

American Food Service Association, Hampton, New Hampshire ..................... 19

APPENDIX

PREPARED STATEMENTS:

Lugar, Hon. Richard G. .................................................................................... 28

Harkin, Hon. Tom ............................................................................................ 30

Hurt, Marilyn .................................................................................................... 31

DOCUMENT(S) SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD:

Easy Cash Eroding Their Principles by Marc Fisher, The Washington

Post ................................................................................................................ 38

Schools Hooked on Junk Food by David Nakamura, The Washington

Post ................................................................................................................ 41

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REVIEW OF NUTRITION AND THE SCHOOL

LUNCH PROGRAM

TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 2001

U.S. SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY,

Washington, DC.

The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9 a.m. in room 216,

Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Richard G. Lugar.

[Chairman of the Committee] presiding.

Present: Senators Lugar, Harkin, Lincoln, Baucus, Cochran,

Stabenow, Allard, and Leahy.

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD G. LUGAR, A U.S.

SENATOR FROM INDIANA, CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON

AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

The CHAIRMAN. This hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee is called to order.

We are very pleased once again to have such a wonderful turnout

of those deeply interested in the school lunch program in our country. We look forward to hearing the testimony of the witnesses.

Today, our committee will hear that testimony on Federal child nutrition programs and recommendations for improvements.

These programs are among the committee’s highest priorities.

Adequate and appropriate nutrition for children, seniors, and all

Americans is a matter, first of all, of public health. It is especially

important for children, in their early physical development, their

performance in school, and their preparation for adulthood.

The school lunch program, the breakfast, special milk and afterschool snack, summer food service, child and adult care feeding

programs are all vital components of our national efforts to encourage healthy eating habits that will hopefully guide food choices

throughout life.

March is National Nutrition Month, an annual nutrition education campaign, designed to focus attention on the importance of

making informed food choices, and developing sound eating and

physical activity habits.

It is always a distinct pleasure to hold this hearing to receive

testimony from one of the vanguards of America’s child nutrition

organizations, the American School Food Service Association. The

committee is pleased to be able to hold this hearing to coincide

with the presence of members of the association in Washington.

I note, Ms. Hurt, that your testimony lists the Hoosiers present

today, and I am happy to see so many representatives here from

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Indiana. I understand that there are nine, and I hope that they are

appropriately seated.

Ms. HURT. They are.

[Laughter.]

The CHAIRMAN. Great, welcome, and we appreciate your presence.

We need everyone to be concerned about children’s eating habits.

Unfortunately, sometimes, they make poor food choices, as do many

adults, for that matter.

Many do not exercise enough. As a result, many of our children

are much heavier than ever before. These behaviors set lifetime

patterns that, unless corrected, put them at risk for heart disease,

hypertension, diabetes, and stroke, just to name a few of these

dreadful diseases.

The Federal Child Nutrition Programs provides an opportunity

to help guide sound food choices for school-age children. These programs, coupled with nutrition education and other efforts, can help

address the nutritional needs of young people.

The efforts of your association are appreciated, as we work together toward helping Americans live healthier lives. We will be

pleased to hear your suggestions, as always, on ways to improve

our programs.

We look forward also to your comments on a proposed International School Lunch Program. On July 27 of last year, I chaired

a hearing of this committee to receive testimony from Ambassador

George McGovern and Senator Bob Dole on the proposed international school lunch feeding program.

Senators Leahy, Harkin, Durbin, Cochran, and I are deeply interested in moving ahead with legislation on this issue, as appropriate. The Agriculture Committee staffs have been working with

other Senate offices to design such a program.

Last year, President Clinton announced the Global Food for Education Initiative, a $300 million pilot program, based on the

McGovern/Dole initiative. Senators Harkin, Durbin, and I have

asked the General Accounting Office to review the aspects of this

initiative, which will be helpful in our own legislative initiative.

As other Senators appear, I will ask them for comments and, indeed, the distinguished Ranking Member has appeared, right on

time. I will ask now Senator Harkin for his opening comments to

this hearing.

[The prepared statement of Chairman Lugar can be found in the

appendix on page 28.]

STATEMENT OF HON. TOM HARKIN, A U.S. SENATOR FROM

IOWA, RANKING MEMBER, COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,

NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

Senator HARKIN. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. I am glad

we have this much interest in one of the most important aspects

of the education of our children, and that is an adequate and nutritional diet.

I look forward to working with you, Mr. Chairman, on these programs, and with the Ranking Democratic Member of the Nutrition

Subcommittee, Senator McConnell, and also Senator Leahy.

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Many groups and many people come to Washington to make

their case to Congress. I cannot think of any group that comes here

with more joy, enthusiasm and commitment, than the members of

the American School Food Service Association.

Their work providing sound nutrition is critical to the future of

our children and our nation. They do it with real dedication. Our

job is to provide the resources and support they need to succeed.

I very much appreciate the testimony today from Marilyn Hurt,

the President of the ASFSA; and the attendance of the Iowa School

Food Service Association Delegation, Carolyn Klein, President; her

husband, Perry; Marilyn Wilkins, President-Elect; Diane Duncan

Goldsmith, our Vice President; Teresa Niece, our Legislative Chair;

and Elizabeth Hanna, Regional Director for the ASFSA; and also,

Patty Harding, John Larson, and Dale Johnson.

I especially want to mention my interest in promoting a stronger

school breakfast program. For learning and good nutrition, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Perhaps if we

could turn the clock back 60 years, maybe we should have started

with a school breakfast program, and then gone into a school lunch

program after that.

Be that as it may, the school lunch program has proven its

worth. Now I think we have enough data, over the last few years,

from our school breakfast pilot to indicate, I think, without any

doubt, that a nationwide, full-service school breakfast program is

the next step that we must take. We now have full funding for

these demonstration projects, so we have to get the thing under

way for school breakfasts.

Local school food service operations and USDA have made great

strides in improving the nutritional quality of school meals. Of all

of the remarks that I make this morning, this is the one that I

want to focus on. It is a real shame that the progress that all of

you here have worked so hard to accomplish is being undermined

daily by the marketing to our children of competing foods of little

or no nutritional value.

[Applause.]

Senator HARKIN. Currently, the USDA has only weak rules to

prevent the sales of soda and candy from interfering with school

meals. Now we learn that schools are even ignoring those weak

rules.

It is not right that taxpayer dollars go out to support sound nutrition, only to have that sound nutrition undercut right in the

schools, themselves. This is an important issue, and one that our

committee wants to address.

There was an article in the Washington Post here last week

about a couple of local schools, and how the vending machines were

open in the morning, open during lunch hour, and how much

money the schools were getting from those vending machines in

order to pay for sports and other things.

We find ourselves in a terrible situation, where schools that are

under-funded, that need money, now are attached by an umbilical

cord to these vending machines, that put out candy and soda, potato chips, the very things that these kids do not need.

4

They get all sugared up in the morning. They stay sugared up

through lunch, and then we wonder why we have hyper-active kids,

and why they are not learning.

Now I thought, Mr. Chairman, that we had clamped down on

this. I thought we had a rule. I thought we had a law that said

these vending machines are not to be open until after lunch. I

would like to get into that a little bit later. I thought we had determined that some time ago, and that these vending machines were

not to be accessible and available until after the lunch services

were over with.

If that is not the rule and if that is not the law, it ought to be

the law. Those vending machines should not be accessible to any

kid, at a minimum, until after the lunches are over with. In fact,

I would say that we probably ought to get the vending machines

totally out of the school.

[Applause.]

Senator HARKIN. Some people say, well, these kids, if you do

that, they will not eat. Well, again, if we start early in life, we are

all products of our upbringing and our education. If we start with

kids early in life, and teach them, and I am talking about in elementary school, about what good nutrition is and what it does for

you, and how healthy it makes you; and if children grow up like

that and are learning that, then they will be more prone to have

these kinds of meals when they are in high school.

I do not buy the argument, Mr. Chairman and all of you, that

if we take those vending machines out or lock them up until after

the lunch hour, that somehow these kids are not going to eat.

They will, I think. If we promote and we educate and we support

them and their families with good nutrition information, and good

food that not only is nutritious, but also palatable to their tastes,

which can be done, I believe they will.

If those vending machines are there, and they can get the soda

and they can get the candy and they can get the chips, that is

where they are going to go, because that is where all the advertising leads them to.

I hope, Mr. Chairman, that we can make some strides this year,

and especially in the next Farm bill. Nutrition is going to be an important part of that Farm bill. I hope we can make some strides

to turn the corner on this. It is unconscionable what is happening

in these schools today, with these kids and the accessibility of

vending machines.

Finally, Mr. Chairman, I want to express my strong support for

the Global Food for Education Initiatives proposed by former Senators McGovern and Dole, and begun by President Clinton. Again,

I think this concept of a worldwide school lunch program for every

kid in the world is something that we ought to be about and we

ought to be supporting.

I have spent a lot of my time working on trying to end child

labor, to get kids out of these work places, in various places around

the globe. One of the best magnets that we can have to get kids

out of the work place and get them into school is to provide them

with at least one fully nutritious meal every day.

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If you do that, you will get the kids out of these work places; you

will get the parents seeing that they will have an advantage. Their

kids will be well fed and we will get them into schools.

I am hopeful that the United States, along with other producing

nations, can support a global effort, beginning as soon as possible,

at least in providing some demonstration projects in other countries, where we can provide at least one fully nutritious meal to

kids in schools, in less developed nations.

Mr. Chairman, again, I thank you for holding this very important hearing. As you can tell from my comments, I feel very strongly about this issue, as I know you do, Mr. Chairman.

We have worked together on this issue for a long time. Hopefully,

we can make some progress with this issue of the vending machines in schools. I know it is a tough issue, but it is one that I

think we are going to have confront head on.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[The prepared statement of Senator Harkin can be found in the

appendix on page 30.]

The CHAIRMAN. Well, thank you very much, Senator Harkin. Let

me indicate that we do look forward to working together, as we

progress in the nutrition section of our Farm bill.

Let me ask, respectfully, of our very large audience today, that

you respond with more reserve. I do not want to suppress your enthusiasm for Senator Harkin, however.

[Laughter.]

Senator HARKIN. It was not for me. It was for the ideas that I

was espousing.

[Laughter.]

The CHAIRMAN. I understand, but to the extent possible, let us

sort of hold it down to a dull roar. If you want to applaud, however,

Senator Lincoln, that will be permissible.

[Laughter.]

The CHAIRMAN. I now want to call on the distinguished Senator

from Arkansas. Yes, Senator Harkin?

Senator HARKIN. Mr. Chairman, if I might, I have to apologize

to all my friends here, and to you, Mr. Chairman. We all have

these conflicts around here. I am also on the Education Committee,

and we are having a big meeting this morning on the Elementary

and Secondary Education Act.

I am going to have to excuse myself from this, and go over to

that meeting. That is the only reason I would be leaving.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you for giving that very important opening statement.

Senator Lincoln.

STATEMENT OF HON. BLANCHE L. LINCOLN, A U.S. SENATOR

FROM ARKANSAS

Senator LINCOLN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and as always,

thanks to you and to Senator Harkin for addressing such a critical

issue.

I am so pleased to see that this issue is on the minds of many

other people, as well, from the wonderful crowd we have here in

this hearing room. It is certainly indicative of what a critical issue

it is, not only for our children, but for our nation.

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As with most of the issues that we discuss on this committee,

child nutrition is near and dear to my heart. With one in three

children living in poverty in Arkansas, I can think of no greater

service that our country can give these children than free or subsidized hot, nutritious meals at school.

We all know that nutrition is an important piece of absolutely everyone’s well being. Studies show, and certainly, teachers have

been telling us for years that children who eat well-balanced meals,

especially a morning breakfast, do better academically.

I have a personal connection there. One of my sisters taught in

the public schools in Arkansas. She had many challenges. She had

not only a classroom of 31 students, but was teaching simultaneously kindergarten and first grade curriculum to 31 kids in one

single room. I was always amazed.

When I asked her, how in the world did you do it, she said, these

were not even her biggest challenges. She said that those children

come to school, and they are hungry, they are sick sometimes because they are hungry; and she said, they are frightened.

I was amazed when she told me she left teaching. She said that

the problem was, at the end of the day when she had bus duty,

there were at least three children clinging to her legs saying,

please do not make me go home.

Now it is unbelievable that there are children in such a state. If

there is one thing that we can do for them, it should be a nutritious

meal.

My sister kept peanut butter and crackers in her desk drawer for

those who did come to school, and were not able to get a hot meal.

She knew that it could improve them just a smidgen, in terms of

their learning and their academic capabilities.

As more and more persons move off the welfare roles and they

try to support themselves, the WIC and the school lunch programs

are even more important. Over 91,000 women and children participate in the WIC program in Arkansas.

WIC is one of those prevention programs that is cost effective, in

the long term, because it helps women have healthier babies.

Healthier babies means savings down the road in health care

costs, both to families and to Government programs like Medicaid,

which we are an enormous user of in Arkansas, as well. Child nutrition programs have far reaching effects. They are the safety net

that women and children rely on.

I thank the Chairman and the Ranking Member for holding this

hearing, and I certainly look forward to your testimony from our

distinguished witnesses today. I applaud all that have come today,

not only as witnesses, but to witness the discussion of such a critical issue to our children and to our nation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Senator Lincoln.

Senator Baucus, do you have an opening comment?

STATEMENT OF HON. MAX BAUCUS, A U.S. SENATOR

FROM MONTANA

Senator BAUCUS. Yes, Mr. Chairman, and first, I want thank you

very much for holding this hearing.

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This is very important. You know, we can not always have hearings on every subject under the sun; but for you to decide to hold

the hearing today on this subject, I think is testament to your leadership on the committee. I thank you very much for it.

I would also like to thank Ms. Hurt for her testimony today.

Also, I want to compliment and thank Wanda Sand, who is President of the Montana School Food Association, as well as the Food

Service Manager for Fairfield Public Schools. I want to thank her

for her hard work, generally, for Montana kids.

Mr. Chairman, there is a lot of discussion these days about the

need to improve our education system, and I support it. I very

heartily favor all the efforts we have in our country to improve our

education system. That is good, and we need to do a lot better.

We also need to remember to think about the needs of our kids

in a much broader sense. A hungry child is a child who will not

be learning, no matter how good the teacher is. Mr. Chairman, I

have seen it. I have seen it, first hand, several times. It is sad. It

is stunning. It just takes your breath away.

I have participated many times in the school lunch and breakfast

programs. I am amazed at the number of kids who need those

meals, and if they did not have those meals, would be going hungry. Clearly, it affects their learning.

It is amazing, Mr. Chairman. I mean, a lot of us in the Senate

just do not know a lot about this. We lead perhaps sheltered lives,

and we just do not see how much this goes on. There is real need

in our country, and I just can not tell you, Mr. Chairman, how

much it hit me, when I personally first hand saw the need in Montana schools.

It may be a little bit worse in our state, because we are a low

per-capita income state, and our families are having a tougher time

making ends meet. I am quite confident the situation is also true

all over the country. It is not just in rural states like Montana.

I compliment the President, who often says he does not want to

leave any child behind. We do not want to leave any children behind. I suggest that, in addition to intellectual learning, that nutrition is another part of the equation and one of the components that

are necessary to make sure that children are not left behind.

I would just sum up, Mr. Chairman, by thanking you for the

hearing. I hope this hearing highlights the need, so that our country does, in fact, pay more attention.

It is not only the school lunch programs and breakfast programs.

It is programs like HeadStart. I spent a whole day as a teacher’s

aid at HeadStart one day. Man, I will tell you, before that, I was

a strong supporter of HeadStart; no more. I am no longer a strong

supporter of HeadStart. I am a fanatic supporter of HeadStart.

[Laughter.]

Senator BAUCUS. I wish that more Senators could have some of

the same experiences and they, too, would be fanatic supporters of

helping our kids.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, very much.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, thank you, Senator Baucus, for your very

strong testimony this morning.

Senator Cochran.

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Senator COCHRAN. Mr. Chairman, thank you for having this

hearing. I am looking forward to the testimony of our witnesses.

We always appreciate the advice and counsel that we get from the

American School Food Service Association. We appreciate your

being here, and we value your comments.

Thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. Senator Stabenow, do you have an opening comment?

STATEMENT OF HON. DEBBIE STABENOW, A U.S. SENATOR

FROM MICHIGAN

Senator STABENOW. Good morning, and thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I appreciate very much all of you being here. I see familiar faces.

I had the opportunity to speak to this terrific organization last

evening, and welcomed them to Washington, D.C. As I indicated

last night, what you do is very important, and we are looking forward to your comments this morning.

I apologize in advance, Mr. Chairman. I am juggling two committees today, and will have to leave at some point for the Budget

Committee. That certainly does not mean that I am not fully committed to what you are talking about. I look forward to working together.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Senator Stabenow.

Senator Harkin is displaying another piece of evidence.

[Laughter.]

Senator HARKIN. Oh, that is an article, ‘‘Soft Drinks and Hard

Facts.’’ If you have not read it yet, read it.

The CHAIRMAN. It is a pleasure to welcome the distinguished

panel before us this morning. I will say this, just for the sake of

history, because this meeting becomes, in a way, a rally of the

faithful each year.

Five years ago, the Federal National School Lunch Program was

embattled, in large part, because a national debate was occurring.

It occurred here in Congress, as to how the program should be administered.

There were a number of Members of the Congress, in the Senate

and in the House, who genuinely felt that the programs would be

best handled at the state level, and some even at the local level.

Essentially, the Federal mandate for a school program, they felt,

was less appropriate than in the past, or inappropriate altogether,

depending upon the political philosophy, I suppose, as you take a

look at the federalism issues.

We debated that in this committee, and in the House committee;

but more generally, it was a debate outside of the committee. It

was a sort of threshold debate at that time in the Congress in

1995.

I remember the situation vividly, and many of you who were involved do too. In fact, legislation , that would have terminated the

Federal School Lunch Program passed both houses. A conference

was held, and essentially, a conference report was circulated.

I had the unpleasant task, at that point, of being confronted with

this matter at the moment, and this is simply anecdotal, as I was

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Candidate for President. I was in various states, running in primaries and so forth.

Upon my return to Washington, I was confronted with the conference report that needed but two signatures on the Senate side

to become law. Unfortunately, one of our colleagues signed, leaving

just one signature remaining.

I took the position, and I think correctly, that the Federal School

Lunch Program is appropriate, because this is a country in which

our children really cannot determine which state in which they

have residence, or where they were born, or where they are going

to live. They are really dependent upon their families, their parents.

There needs to be some under-girdling safety net, as one nation,

with all of our children. The ups and down and vagaries of various

standards, state by state, really were inappropriate in this area.

I did not sign the report. As a result, that School Lunch Program

change did not become law. By that thin hair, the Federal School

Lunch Program continued.

[Applause.]

The CHAIRMAN. Most people just assume there will always be a

federal program; that there never really has been any particular

threat. As a result, that is just as well.

We have, I think, very strong bi-partisan support, as is evidenced

in this committee this morning. That is important, too. This must

not become a partisan issue. It should be something in which all

of us come together, in both parties on this committee, to try to listen carefully to how nutrition for our children can be improved;

and as a matter of fact, maybe through the influence of these programs, nutrition for adults, too.

Your testimony is welcome this morning. I am going to call, first

of all, upon Ms. Marilyn Hurt, the President of the American

School Food Service Association of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Then my understanding is that those who accompanied her,

namely, Ms. Marcia Smith, President-Elect of the American School

Food Service Association of Bartow, Florida; Ms. Gaye Lynn MacDonald, Vice President of the American School Food Service Association of Bellingham, Washington; and Ms. Nancy Stiles, Chair of

Public Policy and Legislative Committee, American School Food

Service Association, from Hampton, New Hampshire will all make

short comments, following the testimony by Ms. Hurt.

Please proceed with your testimony.

STATEMENT OF MARILYN HURT, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN

SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATION

ACCOMPANIED BY:

MARCIA SMITH, PRESIDENT ELECT, AMERICAN SCHOOL FOOD

SERVICE ASSOCIATION

GAYE LYNN MAC DONALD, VICE PRESIDENT, AMERICAN SCHOOL

FUND SERVICE ASSOCIATION

NANCY STILES, CHAIR, PUBLIC POLICY 7 LEGISLATIVE

COMMITTEE, AMERICAN FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATION

Ms. HURT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the support that you give us. We, too, have a vivid memory of five years

ago. Your support certainly helped us preserve this very important

10

program, and your understanding of our program is equally important.

As you indicated, I am Marilyn Hurt. I am President of the

American School Food Service Association, and I am the Food Service Director in La Crosse, Wisconsin. You have introduced my colleagues, who are here with me. I also have several hundred of my

closest friends behind me.

[Laughter.]

Ms. HURT. They are equally passionate and energetic and enthused about these programs.

Of course, we have a wonderful contingency here from Indiana,

including the President, Bonnie Cooprider; and the President-Elect,

Gayle Knafel, is here, as well as their Legislative Chair, who is

Mark Miller. Mark is an industry member. He is General Chair of

SFSPac, which provides our programs with safety and sanitation

programs.

In addition, we have Barry Reese. I want to acknowledge Barry,

because he works so hard on the American School Food Service Association’s Public Policy and Legislative Committee.

We are pleased to have the Indiana contingency here with us, as

well as a number of distinguished people from Iowa. I am sorry the

Senator from Iowa had to leave this morning.

Once again, let me express my deep appreciation of you, Mr.

Chairman, as well as the committee, for your commitment to these

programs, because it has helped us preserve the programs, enrich

the programs, and it certainly shows us your demonstrated commitment. On behalf of all of us here, and the entire American

School Food Service Association, thank you very much.

Mr. Chairman, we have spent a great deal of time working on

our long-range legislative goals. One of them that is very important

to us is listed on our issue paper today. That is to provide all children with nutritionally adequate meals, at no charge to the child

at the point of service.

Now we believe that all of us have a responsibility for feeding

children, including our parents, our local school boards, our communities, our state governments, as well as the Federal Government. Together, we can certainly provide this to our children, to

give them this nutritionally adequate meal.

We look forward to working with the new Secretary of Agriculture, Ms. Veneman, who will help us, we hope, explore these options for strengthening the programs.

The current Federal commitment is certainly significant, $6.5 billion each year, and it shows the support of Congress for our efforts.

I want to thank the members of the committee for this commitment

to providing nutritious meals to our children across this country.

However, I want to take the opportunity this morning to share

with you some of the issues that we are dealing with, back home

in the school districts. I am going to begin with nutrition education.

You know, we have been here to Congress in the past to talk

about nutrition education in schools and the importance of nutrition education. We see something going on among our children. We

are getting new reports on obesity and under-nutrition. These reports are alarming us. What we are seeing among our children is

alarming us.

11

We believe that failure to confront this issue now is going to result in serious consequences to these young people, as they go into

adulthood.

In addition to the acute health problems caused by epidemic obesity, economic costs are also to be considered, because of the medical expenditures that these individuals are going to be facing later

in life, as well as lost work productivity. This cost could certainly

be immense.

Nutrition is a risk factor, as you indicate, Mr. Chairman, with

heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes. Symptoms of these diseases

are appearing among our young people. We see children with diseases that are normally associated with adults.

At the request of Congress, USDA recently issued a report in

which it recommends that we create a national nutrition education

program. We are, of course, supportive of this.

Despite the size of the Federal commitment to child nutrition

programs, the Government currently invests virtually nothing in

nutrition education in schools and teaching our children the importance of the food that they consume and its impact on their longterm health.

ASFSA is a strong supporter of nutrition education, and we encourage Congress to consider legislation that could create an integrated nutrition education program. We suggest that this be in the

amount of $50 million, which would be $1 for every school age child

in this country.

Now I want to talk a little bit about the foods that are sold in

schools today. Every day, there are foods sold in our schools that

take kids away from the very nutritious National School Lunch

Program.

As was pointed out in the February 27 issue of the Washington

Post article last week, and we do have copies of this, on schools

hooked on junk food, the students may be junk food junkies, but

the schools are hooked, too. They are increasingly dependent on the

revenue that soda and candy machines bring in each year.

This is a huge challenge for those of us in school nutrition programs. You know, on the one hand, we are out there providing

these nutritious meals.

On the other hand, we are under a great deal of financial pressure from our school districts and our school boards to bring home

break-even budgets, year after year. Yet, we have a great deal of

competition for the foods that we are serving; so this compounds

the pressure.

Some districts actually are told, you need to be a profit center.

The school nutrition program needs to make money, and funds are

transferred from the school nutrition program into the general fund

for education. You can understand with that the pressure that we

are under.

Then we find, outside the door of the cafeteria, principals, coaches, librarians, selling food in competition with our program, and

they are not necessarily nutritious foods, to raise dollars for their

education programs and the programs that they need in the

schools.

Well, in the 1970’s, Congress attempted to address this issue by

giving the Secretary the authority to regulate the sale of competiVerDate 11-MAY-2000 10:26 Aug 21, 2002 Jkt 074346 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 74346.TXT SAG1 PsN: SAG1
12

tive foods, as Senator Harkin indicated. In 1983, the Appeals Court

ruled that the Secretary’s authority extended only to the time and

place that the National School Lunch Program meals were being

served.

We believe that the Secretary should have the discretion to regulate the sale of competitive foods throughout the school day, all day

long throughout the school campus, while school is in session.

The USDA recently issued a report to Congress, which we would

like to make part of the hearing record. The report describes the

impact of these food sales on the National School Lunch Program.

It pointed out several issues that arise, and I would like to mention

those today, on how this affects the children.

[The information referred to can be found in the appendix on

page 38 & 41.]

Ms. HURT. First, as we indicated earlier, these foods create dietrelated health risks. Our school meals are certainly nutritious, and

they are better than ever. Studies indicate that children who participate in the National School Lunch Programs receive more essential nutrients than children who do not.

These other foods that are being sold outside of the school cafeteria are frequently high in fat, high in calories, high in sugar, and

have very few nutrients. The consumption of these foods, and it has

been reported just in the last few weeks, leads to obesity among

our young people, and certainly to other health problems.

Competitive foods adversely affect student participation in our

programs, because these foods can be offered anywhere on campus.

It is very convenient, and it is throughout the school day, whenever

a child is hungry and might want something to eat. Many of our

students consume those foods, rather than coming into the school

cafeteria to consume our nutritious foods.

This, of course, leads to declining participation, which then has

another impact on us economically, reduces the support that we receive from commodities, and reduces the cash support that we receive in addition.

These foods also that are sold outside the school cafeteria potentially stigmatize the students who are inside eating with us. These

competitive foods are available to those kids who have money, and

leaves out other students who are frequently eating with us.

ASFSA believes that the school food programs should be portrayed as reliable and nutritious food sources for all children, regardless of their income. All children need good nutrition. We need

some help driving that message home.

These competitive foods send a mixed message to our children.

You know, they go into the classroom, into health classes. They

learn about good nutrition. They learn about the foods that they

need to be consuming in order to have long-term health. Then they

walk outside the door, go down the hallway, and here facing them

are a bank of vending machines that are selling something else.

What kind of a message is that sending to these young people?

Is it that this is just an academic exercise that is going on in the

classroom, but you really do not have to practice it? We are concerned about the mixed message.

Based upon the findings of the USDA, recommended in their

January 12 report to Congress, we recommend and will support an

13

act to strengthen the statutory language to ensure that all foods

that are sold or served anywhere in school, during the school day,

meet nutrition standards. We support this wholeheartedly. There

needs to be a consistent policy for nutrition sold in schools.

Now I just want to spend a moment on bonus commodities. I

know you are aware that in 1994, the National School Lunch Act

was amended to ensure that schools receive at least 12 percent of

the Federal lunch support in the form of USDA-purchased commodities.

In addition to this guaranteed minimum, schools routinely receive bonus commodities. These come from the agricultural surplus

removal programs. Unfortunately, the formula was changed in

1999, so that all commodities receive, regardless of their budgetary

source, is counted toward the minimum percentage requirement.

This change resulted in fewer commodities.

Thanks to your leadership, Mr. Chairman, the Congress addressed the problem, albeit temporarily, by restoring the original

commodity assessment method for fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year

2001.

However, without Congressional action, the program will revert

back to the 1999 rule on this October 1. As a result, we would have

a reduction in commodities into our schools by $55 million. Of

course, this affects our agricultural community, as well as food

banks across the nation. We support permanently extending last

year’s statutory remedy for this.

After-school snack programs have become important. After-school

programs are important, and a number of our schools are now providing such programs for our children, so that they have projects

and activities to be involved in, after school.

With so many parents working, we know that children otherwise

go home to an empty house. In 1998, recognizing the value of offering nutritious foods at these after-school activities, Congress expanded the availability of the meal supplements to our after-school

enrichment programs.

The current maximum reimbursement for this snack is only 55

cents, and I think my colleagues are going to address this today,

because it simply does not cover the cost of the food, the labor, and

the supplies that are needed to deliver the program.

What ASFSA would support is legislation that would require

USDA to determine what is the actual cost of delivering the program, and then providing a reimbursement that would be equal to

that amount.

In addition, ASFSA would like to see that states be reimbursed

for the expenses of oversight of the snack program, using the State

Administrative Expense, or SAE formula. The legislation that expanded authority for after-school snack programs did not adjust the

SAE formula accordingly. ASFSA urges Congress to correct this inconsistency at a cost of about $70,000.

Finally, I do want to address the McGovern/Dole International

School Lunch Program. There are, as you indicated, 300 million

hungry children in the world, and an estimated 130 million of

these children, mostly girls, do not attend school.

To quote the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Food and

Agricultural Organization, George McGovern, he says, ‘‘If education

14

is the key to development in the Third World, the school lunch is

the key to unlocking the education door.’’

Of course, we have a model program in this nation, and we have

learned how important this is to education of children, as has been

mentioned here this morning.

We agree with the assessment. We applaud the last Administration’s contribution of roughly $300 million in agricultural commodities for the International School Lunch Program that was proposed

by Ambassador McGovern and Senator Bob Dole.

We look forward to working with the Bush Administration on

this effort. We are pleased that President Bush has asked Ambassador McGovern to continue in his post.

In addition to providing a humanitarian use for surplus agricultural commodities, the International School Lunch Program draws

children to the classroom, where they can receive the obvious benefits of an education.

The ISLP seeks to insure that all children have at least one nutritious meal every day. Furthermore, it is designed to foster selfsufficiency within participating countries, so they eventually will be

able to administrate and fund these school food programs themselves. ASFSA supports legislation that would permanently authorize and fund the McGovern/Dole International School Lunch Program.

Before I conclude, I just would like to mention that this is National School Breakfast Week. In most of our districts across the

country, we certainly are promoting and celebrating the school

breakfast and its importance to the children, as it is an education

tool.

In conclusion, I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman and members

of the committee, for accommodating the American School Food

Service Association with this hearing. We certainly appreciate it.

Now I would like to introduce my colleagues, beginning with

Marcia Smith. She has some comments that she would also like to

make.

Thank you very much for your attention and support.

[The prepared statement of Ms. Hurt can be found in the appendix on page 31.]

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Ms. Hurt.

Ms. Smith.

STATEMENT OF MARCIA SMITH, PRESIDENT-ELECT,

AMERICAN SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATION, BARTOW,

FLORIDA

Ms. SMITH. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you

again, on behalf of the American School Food Service Association,

and to Senator Harkin and to all members of the committee, for allowing us to speak this morning.

I am Marcia Smith, and I am from a large district in Florida,

with 50 schools participating in the after-school snack program.

We served almost 160,000 after-school snacks last year. Thank

you for providing funding for this program. It has been very well

received by the students, parents, and operators of the after-school

program.

15

Unfortunately, food and labor costs continue to escalate. In addition, students want variety, and it is becoming very difficult to purchase snacks that add wholesome variety, without costing more

money. Therefore, we are recommending that USDA conduct a

study on what the after-school snacks are costing.

We want to continue the after-school snack program, and we

want more districts to become involved with the program. We know

it is working. I would just like to illustrate by sharing a short story

with you.

A teacher who operates the program in a school in our district

called and said, ‘‘Thank you for the gift, Mrs. Smith.’’ When I

asked, ‘‘What do you mean by the gift?’’ she proceeded to tell me

that by Food Service providing the after- school snack, that it had

allowed her more time to work on activities for the after-school tutoring program.

She no longer had to make trips to the grocery store. She no

longer to worry about bugs in her classroom, because she no longer

had to store food. She also had more space to store her teaching

materials.

She also proceeded to tell me that she was a parent whose child

participates in the program. She wanted me to know that it was

very comforting to her that when she got home, she could take the

time to prepare a hot meal. She had a growing boy, and I do too.

Of course, the first thing that he would do was grab anything that

he could find, as soon as he walked in the door.

Once again, I want to thank you for the opportunity to share the

importance of the after-school snack program. It really has become

a very important part of the educational day.

Thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Ms. Smith.

Ms. MacDonald.

STATEMENT OF GAYE LYNN MAC DONALD, VICE PRESIDENT,

AMERICAN SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATION,

BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON

Ms. MACDONALD. Yes, thank you so much Mr. Chairman and to

the other members of the committee. I would just like to say, on

behalf of the American School Food Service Association, how much

we appreciate the bi-partisanship of this committee, and especially

in support of our issues.

I would like to focus my remarks today on nutrition education.

As you have heard, current dietary patterns of American children

range from obesity to under-nutrition; the results of too much food,

not enough food, and in a majority of instances, poor food choices.

ASFSA is asking your help in addressing these critical dietary

patterns by providing funding for the development of a comprehensive, coordinated nutrition education program in schools across

America.

In schools, students need to hear and see consistent messages

about healthy nutrition practices; practices that are modeled in

meals provided through the National School Lunch Program,

School Breakfast Program, the After-school Snack Program and

others; reinforced through classroom and cafeteria activities; and

16

delivered in an overall school environment, promoting a healthy

focus.

America’s students need to be educated about positive nutrition

habits on a consistent basis. Currently, most nutrition education efforts are concentrated in the second grade, the fourth grade, and

the sixth grade.

We know that it should be an ongoing process. They need education not only in positive nutrition habits, but they need education

on how to make better food choices by being informed consumers.

Many of us here today work with our teachers to provide classroom nutrition education. Nothing is more rewarding than getting

letters from students praising carrots, green peppers, kiwi, physical

activity, or how to outsmart fat cells. However, these efforts may

be hit and miss, a grade level and classroom, here or there.

Habits learned in childhood do last a lifetime. A fresh approach

to delivery of nutrition education must include a funded component

for state and local infrastructure.

ASFSA encourages and supports collaborative efforts to design

and deliver meaningful nutrition education programs. ASFSA,

USDA, and the Department of Education would make a fine core

team.

Hungry children can not learn, either in school or in life, and neither can unhealthy children. A strong Federal commitment to a

fresh, new comprehensive coordinated nutrition education program

is crucial to our nation’s youth. It will assure a maximum return

on the significant Federal investment in school meal and education

programs.

Please join with us to ensure a strong future for America:

healthy, informed children and youth adults, ready to learn.

Thank you very much.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Ms. MacDonald.

Ms. Stiles.

STATEMENT OF NANCY STILES, PUBLIC POLICY AND

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, AMERICAN SCHOOL FOOD

SERVICE ASSOCIATION, HAMPTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Ms. STILES. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Harkin, and all

members of the committee. I am absolutely delighted to be here

with you today.

Last year, ASFSA established its long-range legislative goals. I

was privileged to serve on that task force. Marilyn has addressed

one of those long-range goals this morning in her testimony. That

is that we would provide nutritionally adequate meals at no charge

to the child at the point of service.

In developing that long-range goal, the intent was not to develop

a fully federally funded program, but a shared responsibility with

state, local, and parental funding sources.

Presently, the IRS collects financial data at the Federal level.

States also collect that income data, as well as other departments

at the state level, that identify families with minimal income

sources.

In the last few years, the data collected on the school lunch application has been used for a variety of funding sources for other

programs. We would like to work with the Congress, the child nuVerDate 11-MAY-2000 10:26 Aug 21, 2002 Jkt 074346 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 74346.TXT SAG1 PsN: SAG1
17

trition authorizing committees, and Secretary Veneman, to explore

possible options to accomplish these same goals.

We believe that not charging the child at the point of service will

be efficient, accountable, and allow us to focus our efforts on quality programming.

We believe there is a real opportunity here. We would like to

streamline this process for financial data collection, and we would

very much look forward to working with you, this committee, on

those opportunities, and begin that dialog as soon as possible.

Thank you very much.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, thank you for your testimony.

We will now ask you to respond to our comments and questions.

We will limit these to 5 minutes per Senator. We will have another

round, if people are not able to answer or raise their questions in

that period of time.

Let me just simply start by indicating that I have recently participated in a conference of health professionals, 1,000 people who

came to Washington and heard Dr. Kenneth Cooper of the Cooper

Clinic give dramatic charts with regard the health of individuals

across all ages.

The thing that was striking about Dr. Cooper’s testimony and the

data from his laboratories, now published in various medical journals, was an absolute positive correlation between obesity and

heart disease; between obesity, low density cholesterol, lipro proteins, and heart disease. It simply had no deviation. A straight line

does not necessarily reflect a correlation between obesity and other

outcomes.

Furthermore, the testimony of others indicates that, arguably, on

body mass index measurements, a majority of Americans are overweight. Over a quarter of Americans are severely obese, to the

point of having a health problem. Now that is twenty-five percent

of all Americans.

The shocking aspect, and you have touched upon this, is the incidents of these conditions in children. The data, really, I suspect, is

available, but we would like to have this for our committee.

As is now evident, children, who was a group have not really

been considered subjects for heart disease research, are developing

low density lipro proteins, very bad ratios in the cholesterol measurements, and conditions that clearly are going to lead to diabetes

or other health problems fairly early in life.

This is a serious predicament. In part, it is a predicament of

prosperity in the world, and the availability of food and of food

choices.

A lot has been said this morning about these choices, and how

at least they might be restricted in some ways. We know that food

choices are made in many cases outside of schools; quite apart from

those for which you are responsible.

The educational component, however, for which you do take responsibility, and for which we have some responsibility here to help

you, is critical to that choice making. As you have pointed out, it

is not a second, fourth, or sixth grade proposition.

This is a lifetime challenge for Americans who spend billions of

dollars on weight control programs, on magazines designed to instruct them on how to resist the temptations of life that are all

18

around them, including bad nutritional choices. It is a serious

health choice.

The bottom line in the presentation of Dr. Cooper and others is

that, unfortunately, because of their pattern of food choices, Americans will incur health expenses that are truly exorbitant. These

cost will test our Medicare system. They will test our public health

systems. They will test the budgets, really, in most families, as

they try to address health problems resulting from very poor nutrition choices.

Now this is beyond the purview of today’s hearing, because we

are talking about food and nutrition, but exercise is an important

component. Likewise, one could add adequate sleep.

After you consider these three things which affect children and

all of us, the question is, how can a program be designed really to

benefit children. How can a program be designed to make certain

that not only do children have nutrition sufficient to perform in the

classroom, to make healthy lifestyle choices generally. This means

expanding our horizons considerably and thinking about lifestyle

choices in education.

That is one of your emphases. How we do that, how that is an

integral part of the various other educational requirements is not

clear. That is something that we all have to work on.

Finally, let me just mention that I have enthusiasm, as I have

indicated, and Senator Harkin has and others will, for the International School Lunch Program. Our hearing was filled with idealism and that is important.

It also was filled with the problems of administering a School

Lunch Program in many countries around the world. Now we have

to go in with pretty clear eyes because, in fact, the testimony frequently indicated that the commodity bulk foods and other surpluses we have are really not needed. Instead, countries want to

monetize the donated food to provide various things that they feel

are even more essential than the foods themselves.

Well, in essence, it is a form of foreign assistance, or foreign aid,

which may be very valuable. Monetizing food donations is something different than the conception that many people have of surplus foods going which is consumed by hungry people. The administration of such an alternative you know, from your own school programs, is complex.

Now many of the lessons learned in American school meal service, and these you can help us with, are applicable abroad. The

NGO’s and the other groups that have dealt with this in our country probably would be very helpful in that respect, too.

I just want to say, as we proceed along this line, I am trying to

raise questions about physically how we do it; how the goods are

moved, and who does what. The goal is to avoid a national scandal,

in which the American people say, ‘‘this is not exactly what we

thought was occurring.’’ We were all in favor of the humanitarian

aspects, but not in favor of a boondoggle, here or abroad.

Now in New Albany, Indiana last summer, I found a summer

food program like you described. Different states serve in greater

percentages of eligible children than others.

Here in the District of Columbia, my information indicates about

one-half of eligible children have participated in a summer food

19

program. In Indiana, the percentage was much closer to 10 percent,

not 50 percent. I tried to discover the dilemmas.

Now most of summer programs are administered by Park Departments, by other branches of government, sometimes in coordination with school systems and on school premises. Looking at the

National scene, programs managers still administrative obligations

that may be burdensome.

Your guidance in regard to how we make the program more appealing to potential sponsors more user friendly would be helpful.

Sometimes the challenge is how to get the information out to civil

governments, in addition to school governments or others who

might be a helpful sponsor.

This is a gap, as many have pointed out over the years. We try

to do a good job for eight or nine months of the school year, but

suddenly at that point, in May or June, the door closes, and the

children are sort of left to themselves. They have many of the same

needs during that summer. Many of us, including yourselves, are

mindful that we need to think of how we can strengthen the summer food service program.

Let me just call a cease-fire on my own part now, because I have

taken, I am sure, more than the five minutes that I have allotted

to other members.

I will turn to my distinguished colleague, Senator Leahy, a longtime champion of the School Lunch Program; not only a champion

of it, but a practitioner, therefore, and a former Chairman of our

committee.

Senator Leahy.

STATEMENT OF HON. PATRICK J. LEAHY, A U.S. SENATOR

FROM VERMONT

Senator LEAHY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I was struck when I heard my good friend, Senator Lugar, talk

about the need for exercise and nutrition and sleep. I was thinking

about whether we could get that in for the 100 Senators and, even

more importantly, for their staffs who work even longer hours than

we do.

I tried to work out the exercise bit last year. I took up skydiving.

[Laughter.]

Senator LEAHY. I am serious. I actually did.

This year, though, we are in a 50/50 Senate. A change of one on

either side would change the throne.

[Laughter.]

Senator LEAHY. The Democratic Caucus has passed a resolution

saying I can not go skydiving anymore, but the Republican Caucus

invites me every day.

[Laughter.]

Senator LEAHY. I am not sure just what the message is.

Mr. Chairman, I think half of Vermont is down here. Joe Busha,

Connie Bellavance, Earlene Bosley, Carol Brill, Sue Steinhurst ,

and Cathy Sjolander, are here. They were in the office with me earlier.

You know, just the fact that we have only 20 or 30 inches of

snow in Vermont does not slow them up from coming down. It may

slow them up from getting back.

20

They are also fans of yours, Mr. Chairman, because they know

how hard you have worked on these nutrition matters, just as our

witnesses have. Marshall Matz, I see him here, and what a great

job he has done, over all these years.

Senator McConnell is now Chair of the Nutrition Committee. My

first choice was to become Ranking Member of that subcommittee.

You and Senator Harkin were good enough to give me that choice.

Senator Harkin, of course, has been a strong proponent.

You know, there are some things that we can do together,

ASFSA and the committee. In my own State of Vermont, you did

a great job using the breakfast program startup funding. There

was a huge increase in the percentage of schools offering breakfast

programs.

There are a couple of things that I would like to speak about. I

am going to be working with a number of Senators on a bill to clarify USDA authority to totally eliminate the sales or the donation

of soft drinks to children before the end of the last lunch period.

I really believe that selling soft drinks to school children just before or during lunch does not send the right message. It is really

a very poor nutrition policy. I have talked with those who run the

nutrition programs, not only in my own state, but elsewhere, and

they agree.

I am perfectly willing to entrust this important decision to the

Secretary of Agriculture. If we pass this, she will have to get public

input, and we will have that.

Now the other item is the McGovern/Dole International School

Lunch Program, that Senator Lugar has already talked about. I

have worked with him and Senator Harkin and Senator Durbin

and others on this. I have talked about it with both Senator Dole

and Ambassador McGovern.

We had a very good meeting with former President Clinton. We

had Senator Dole and Senator McGovern there, shortly before the

end of President Clinton’s term.

I do remember the great line of Senator Dole’s. You know, if he

had been elected President, that would be about his last couple

weeks in office. He turned to President Clinton and he said, ‘‘I

know exactly how you feel.’’

I looked at Senator Dole and Senator McGovern, two people that

I respect greatly, both of whom I served with, and the message

they sent was, this is not a partisan or political issue. This is an

issue of good sense.

We have an opportunity to embark on a very good and historic

venture, because of the unexpected and, I think, tremendous benefits that it could have for world peace and understanding.

You know, most beginnings rarely seem momentous at the time.

Then you look back, and you study it, and you realize how important it is. What a bold vision it is for a multi- national effort to

provide meals to very needy children in school settings.

Think of the changes in societies, in countries, if these children

had the nutrition, what it would do for their health care, what it

would do for their education, of both boys and girls, especially in

parts of the world where only boys get educated and girls do not.

Think how important it would be.

21

This is a very, very good thing. We have seen it in Ghana, where

the Catholic Relief Service Project has seen the number of girls enrolled in school jump by 88 percent. Their attendance rose by 50

percent, because of the program.

Catherine Bertini, the Director of the World Food Program said

that in Pakistan, they offered cooking oil to families, if they sent

their children, and especially girls, to school. The parents’ response

was overwhelming, and enrollment of girls doubled.

I hope we can introduce what I call the McGovern/Dole Bill next

week in the Senate, along with the House. These are important

things.

Senator Lugar, in fact, probably does have the greatest understanding of foreign relations and the complexity of it, of any member of the U.S. Senate, and certainly any member that I have

served with. He knows that this is not an easy thing.

It can be idealistic, but I think it can be done. If it is done, the

wealthiest, most powerful nation on earth will speak to its moral

core, and will do something that will benefit all the world.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Senator Leahy. I thank

you for that compliment.

I would just add to that, of course, the message that we want to

give, as the most powerful nation, is a good message, in terms of

nutrition, in terms of our experience and our educational opportunities, which other nations will perhaps want to share.

Now having heard all of this testimony by Senator Leahy and

myself, Ms. Hurt, do you have a comment, or do other members of

the panel? This would be if you want to reinforce points that you

have made or have additional thoughts.

Ms. HURT. We appreciate your summary, Mr. Chair, and want

you to know that we certainly will address the issue of a comprehensive nutrition education program.

We cannot do this by ourselves. We see that parents need to understand the importance of feeding their children the right foods.

It appears to us that many of today’s parents are quite confused

about that and, in fact, may not be the role models that they need

to be, too.

In addition, everyone in the school setting needs to step up to the

plate and help us with getting a consistent message to our students.

The CHAIRMAN. Ms. Hurt, just on that point, technically, the

school meals that you serve are nutritious.

Ms. HURT. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. I suppose we need to define what standards we

are going to use. For instance, if we go out to the parents, parents

would say, well, I just read in this magazine an authoritative statement on nutrition which said this, and what do you have to say

about that?

You know, we have now the USDA standards and goals and the

pyramid. There are certain benchmarks that are still, I suppose,

controversial. Nevertheless, they have been tested reasonably over

time, in terms of the numbers of servings of fruits and vegetables,

of cereal grains and various things that ought to be a part of a diet

each day. Obviously, a complete daily diet cannot be encompassed

22

totally by the school lunch or breakfast or snack programs, but

they can contribute and be consistent with daily guidelines.

I have often wondered, as we think about a more sophisticated

educational approach, for children and their parents, which authorities we cite, and with what confidence we do so. How do we

fill in the blanks concerning healthful food choices, so we are not

accused of making arbitrary judgments or following fads of the moment when we are relying on researched-based work.

Have you given thought as to how you cite the authorities, or

how your an understandable and credible message that to everybody, adults and children?

Ms. HURT. Well, it is something that we certainly need to address and look into. The food guide pyramid is a simple plan, easy

to understand, and one that we use when we do nutrition education in the classroom.

It is our opinion that it needs to be addressed collectively by all

of us, and a consistent message be sent to parents that is simple;

and not only to parents, but to all Americans, that is simple and

easily understood.

Obviously, we are not hitting the mark with it. Do we need to

send more frequent messages? Yes. Do we need to put more dollars

behind that? Yes. Does it need to be consistent throughout the

schools? Certainly.

Ms. STILES. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I was pleased to hear you speak

about physical education and sleep, because I have been a school

Food Service Director for 26 years. During that time, I have had

the opportunity to go into the classroom, and do some nutrition

education.

I have a pyramid that I have, that has the balance on the top

for the meals. My two angles at the bottom, one is the proper

amount of exercise, and the other is the proper amount of sleep.

I have been preaching your spiel for 20 years now.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, as an educator, you are probably not going

to be able to control the sleep problem.

Ms. STILES. No, we cannot; we just advise.

The CHAIRMAN. At the same time, you can advise.

The exercise message is something else. Here is an area that

many school systems have abandoned, and have said, essentially,

this is a frill or a less essential. We are here to teach English and

mathematics and solid academic subjects.

By the same token, nutrition might be thrown overboard, too, as

almost akin to the physical education program. We are dealing

with endangered species, in terms of the things that we feel are important here, to the basic health of Americans, which in turn is addressed in this body, through legislation costing hundreds of billions of dollars.

Now we all need health care under any circumstances, but the

excessive frequency of many health problems that we face in this

country can be attributed back to inadequate nutrition, exercise,

and sleep.

If children in the educational process do not have any guidepost

to start out on, heaven help us with regard to the overall objective.

You are trying to say this, and that with modest sums of federal

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money, health messages will need to be intergrated with other educational requirement and infrastructure.

These are decisions that school boards all over America will have

to make as value judgments, and the judgments with regard to

healthy children and healthy Americans, have not been running in

our favor, in my opinion.

Your testimony today is very important. You, along with many

others serve as a vanguard in school districts all over the country,

who might be inluential at the local level, where probably it really

counts.

You know, ultimately, at this level, we can send out nutrition

and other health messages that we think are important, and even

fortify them with some moneys, which will have to be matched,

again and again, by various others.

Senator Leahy, do you have another comment?

Senator LEAHY. Mr. Chairman, I do not expect an exact answer

to this.

For Ms. Hurt and the others, I wonder, do you have any sense

of how much having sodas and soft drinks before lunch cuts into

the consumption, either of the nutritious foods we have talked

about, or things like fruit juice, milk, or whatever else that children might need?

Ms. HURT. Well, we certainly know that soda and soft drinks

available, outside of the school cafeteria and, actually, in some

cases, in the cafeteria during the school day. It is very appealing

to our students.

We also know that the consumption of those products are pretty

much empty calories, fills them up, leads to childhood obesity, and

they may not come into the cafeteria for the National School Lunch

Program, or the National School Breakfast Program, if they are in

a hurry, and have already essentially been satisfied. You know,

they feel full, and so they are moving on with the rest of their

school day.

I do not have any statistics or data for you on exactly how much

our students are drinking, before they come into the school cafeteria.

Ms. MACDONALD. If I might add, Senator Leahy and Chairman

Lugar, this is an extremely complex issue, as I know you understand. There are school administrators who, in attempt to keep students on campus, are looking at providing scenarios where students

will stay on the campus, and not leave to find those foods that they

want which may not be of the highest nutritional content.

We are in a very difficult position, in evaluating where we fit

into this scheme of things. That is why we mentioned the collaborative approach between parents, between school administrators,

and school principals.

Certainly, the Department of Education would play a big role in

helping those agencies understand that we need to look at what is

good for students, through the eyes of all of the players, and come

to a consensus, so that we can have healthy children, who have access to nutritious foods with a nutrient- dense basis.

Ms. HURT. I also think that we need to continue to promote that

the National School Lunch and National School Breakfast as an integral part of education; not just a place where kids come to fill up

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their bellies. Certainly, it is a program that helps alleviate hunger;

but it is a part of education.

Senator LEAHY. Every teacher tells me the same thing. Among

the reasons for the school breakfasts is that children in some areas

leave home so early that they do not get breakfast, or they are in

circumstances where their families can not afford to provide a

healthy breakfast.

Ms. HURT. Yes.

Senator LEAHY. If the kids are nutritiously fed, not with empty

calories, they learn better. You do not really need to be a scientist

to know that.

Every parent knows that. You can see it in your own children,

when their attention span drops out. For those less fortunate to be

parenting grandchildren with them, all over again. If children are

adequately fed, they are fine; if they are not, problems they arise.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Let me ask if any of the panel have any further

comments?

Ms. HURT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We appreciate your giving

us the time and for your support. Thank you, Senator Leahy, for

the support you have also given us over the years. It has been truly

important.

The CHAIRMAN. We thank you for your leadership. We will do our

best to examine, not only your testimony, but likewise the extended

remarks that you and your association, really, have made throughout the year.

Ms. HURT. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. Today’s hearing is basically an annual rally of

the faithful.

Ms. HURT. Yes.

The CHAIRMAN. Life goes on, and we have to use the day-by- day

opportunities to be helpful.

One of the dilemmas is that to the extent that we have Federal

legislation that mandating school policy, we run into an age old

problem of the autonomy of the local school board and the State

Department of Instruction.

We may say, well, listen, we are talking about the health of children, and we are. This is very serious. State and local boards would

say, well, so are we. We, as a matter of fact, at the local level and

at the state level, are just as strongly idealistic as you are about

it. We resent your sending down messages that say, you must do

this and you must do that, and so forth.

I suppose that was the basis for our crisis of five years ago, in

a way. There were many people who saw an opportunity to break

up Federal mandates and system, operating more on an ad hoc

basis, state by state or board by board. This a very important problem.

In another forum, people are discussing student testing should

children reach a certain reading level at the end of the third grade

or the fourth or the fifth or so forth. This is a big debate, and it

may very well be that the Federal government will decide what we

are going to do.

People are very carefully saying, but the states will determine

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mine how the children are doing, but they must reach a certain

level of performance. It is a delicate matter, which I think you recognize.

We need your guidance how to work through this situation, so

that we are as effective as possible, in the substance of nutrition

policy, without running aground with people who are resentful,

that we have reached too far.

The problem that Senator Harkin mentioned, is a serious one.

You cited the Washington Post story, which illustrates that many

times school administrators, principals of your schools, decide that

generating school income from low-nutrient food sales is more important. There are crushing financial burdens upon our schools, at

least as they are perceived, in terms of the total needs of students,

as they perceive them.

They would say to the Senators who are here today, back off; we

know the needs of our school, our children, better than you do.

Well, who are we to argue on that?

On the other hand, we are arguing, in a way, that something is

occurring here. As you are suggesting, Ms. Hurt, there may be an

alternative cafeteria system going on, informal as it may be, outside the cafeteria, that the school lunch program becomes almost

an academic exercise whereas, real life goes on, somewhere else.

Nutrition messages are delivered in different contexts throughout

a school and with strong sponsorship, by many persons. That is a

very difficult thing for American education to sort out, quite apart

from this committee, as advocates of school lunches.

Nevertheless, having seen the dilemma, we must try and think

our way though. How do we make a difference in addressing this

serious problem.

Many of you in your testimony have underlined this point, and

many letters have come to the committee, I suspect from those in

the room today, indicating the dolemma faced in schools.

Well, we thank you again for coming. We thank all who have

participated in the hearing. The hearing is adjourned.

Ms. HURT. Thank you.

Ms. MACDONALD. Thank you.

[Applause.]

[Whereupon, at 10:25 a.m., the committee was adjourned, to reconvene at the call of the Chair.]

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