HeLP America Act

Bill: 112-s-174
Sponsor: Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]
Introduced: 2011-01-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Advisory bodies
Child care and development
Child health
Commuting
Department of Health and Human Services
Disability and health-based discrimination
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Elementary and secondary education
Employee benefits and pensions
Food assistance and relief
Food industry and services
Food supply, safety, and labeling
Fruit and vegetables
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health programs administration and funding
Health promotion and preventive care
Horticulture and plants
Income tax credits
Income tax deductions
Marketing and advertising
Medicaid
Medical education
Medical research
Mental health
Nutrition and diet
Physical fitness and lifestyle
Sales and excise taxes
Sports and recreation facilities
Women's employment
Women's health

Summary:
action_date: 2011-01-25
text: 
Healthy Lifestyles and Prevention America Act or the HeLP America Act - Establishes or expands programs regarding children's nutrition and physical activity in schools and with child care providers, including expanding the free fruit fruit program and promoting equal opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in schools and colleges. 
 
Sets forth provisions to expand healthy activities in the community, including permitting use of schools for recreational and nutritional purposes during nonschool hours, awarding grants for sports and athletic programs for individuals with disabilities, awarding grants to establish community gardens, requiring physical activity guidelines for the general public, and promoting breastfeeding among working mothers.
 
 Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase taxes on tobacco products, allow a wellness program credit for employers, exclude from an employee's income the fees paid by an employer to an athletic or fitness facility on the employee's behalf, and disallow a deduction for expenses relating to advertising or marketing of any tobacco product.
 
Establishes a program to assist federal departments and agencies in integrating health goals into their activities.
 
Establishes requirements for federal buildings, including requirements for: (1) application of menu labeling requirements to food establishments and nutritional standards for food provided in such buildings, (2) prompts encouraging individuals to use stairs, and (3) installation of bicycle storage areas.
 
Sets forth provisions to reduce the sodium content of processed food and restaurant food, expand nutritional labeling requirements, establish a front-label food guidance system, and strengthen health literacy.
 
Authorizes the FTC to regulate children&#146;s advertising as an unfair act or practice in or affecting commerce.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of HHS to: (1) impose an industry-wide penalty on manufacturers of cigarettes for failure to achieve youth tobacco use reduction goals; and (2) make grants to eligible entities to analyze body mass index measurements of children
 
Expands coverage of preventive services through Medicaid and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program.
 
Establishes a training program for health professionals related to the prevention, identification, and treatment of overweight patients, obesity, and eating disorders.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-01-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S229-239)
action_date: 2011-01-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S228-229)
action_date: 2011-01-25
text: Introduced in Senate