I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4795
To direct the President to establish a national program to provide for coordi-
nation between Federal, State and local agencies, voluntary organizations,
and private enterprise in order to encourage the public to eat a healthy
diet.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 19, 1994
Mr. TOWNS introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the
Committees on Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor
A BILL
To direct the President to establish a national program to
provide for coordination between Federal, State and local
agencies, voluntary organizations, and private enterprise
in order to encourage the public to eat a healthy diet.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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 exces-
sive 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 de-
velopment 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 improv-
ing 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-relat-
ed 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 in-
dividuals of all ages should include dietary counsel-
ling.
(8) Efforts must be made to identify and to re-
move 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, 
VOL-
UNTARY ORGANIZATIONS, AND PRIVATE EN-
TERPRISE REGARDING THE NATIONAL PRO-
GRAM 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 Na-
tional Program is to help coordinate, support, and assist
nutrition education activities and programs by State and
local governments and by private entities, including edu-
cational institutions, voluntary organizations, civic groups,
professional associations, business organizations, and
other private entities.
(c) 
COORDINATION
REGARDING
INTERGOVERN-
MENTAL RELATIONSHIPS AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EN-
TITIES.—
(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 enti-
ties, 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 fa-
cilitating and collaborating with Federal, State,
local, and private strategies to encourage the Amer-
ican 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 enter-
prise, 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-in-
come 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 pro-
grams.
(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 medi-
cal, dental, social workers and other similar profes-
sional schools and educational associations to en-
courage the implementation of sound nutrition prac-
tices in medical services and education.
(9) Assisting business, industry, government,
and labor organizations, and other workplace organi-
zations 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 su-
permarkets, food establishments, and food programs,
and to encourage food providers to provide and serve
healthy meals and products.
(e) AUTHORITY REGARDING NON-FEDERAL CON-
TRIBUTIONS.—In carrying out activities under the Na-
tional Program in a community (or other geographic
area), the National Program may require that, as a condi-
tion of carrying out the Federal activities, non-Federal
contributions be provided toward the costs of the activi-
ties.
(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 pro-
mote, 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 ad-
vice on the extent of progress being made toward achieving
the goals of the Program, and shall recommend, as nec-
essary, actions to accelerate progress. The Council shall
assist in carrying out the Program, as necessary, and pro-
vide advice and guidance to State and local public health
officials, and to private entities (including educational, vol-
untary, and civic groups), on how to promote diet and
health.
(c) COMPOSITION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Council shall be com-
posed of—
(A) such Federal officials or employees as
the President may designate to serve as mem-
bers 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 exper-
tise 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 dem-
onstrating 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 indi-
vidual 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 ap-
pointed under paragraph (1)(B) shall be appointed for a
term of 4 years, except that up to half of the initial ap-
pointments, 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 mem-
bers 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 EX-
PENSES.—Members of the Council may not receive com-
pensation 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 nec-
essary 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, facili-
ties, 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 pro-
vided by law after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) REQUESTS FOR FEDERAL INFORMATION AND AS-
SISTANCE.—The National Program and the Council may
upon request receive from Federal agencies such informa-
tion 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 es-
tablished 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 appropria-
tions 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 subse-
quent fiscal year.
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