Date: 2010-12-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

That we deal with the question of sexual predators which. as the chair of the Congressional Childrens Caucus. Ive worked on extensively. We deal with questions of potential fraud. which I dont know where our colleagues are documenting that. But what we need to address is the 21 million meals provided through this provision that will offer more incentives for a more comprehensive school program and allow our children to learn and live. If America doesnt accept that as a challenge that it must connect with. then I dont know who we are as a people. Im gratified that we have finally recognized that poverty must finally be extinguished. I ask my colleagues to vote for the bill going forward for our children and our country. I rise today to speak about S. 3307. the Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act of 2010. S. 3307. the Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act. is the child nutrition reauthorization legislation that has already passed unanimously in the Senate. The legislation would dramatically improve the quality of meals children eat in school and in child care programs. increase the number of healthy meals available to needy children and provide the first real increase in the Federal reimbursement rate for school lunches in over 30 years. The legislation would also eliminate junk food from schools by requiring schools. for the first time. to apply nutritional standards to food served outside the cafeteria. Mr. Speaker. while I wholeheartedly support what the Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act will do. it is unfortunate that we will have to take money away from the SNAP program in order to fund it. I am concerned that the bill is paid for with a severe reduction in SNAP ARRA benefits and that it does not fully address the access improvements needed to connect children with those programs. In particular. I worry about the potential impact this could have on lowincome children and families. I remain strong in my position to ensure that those participating in the food stamp program will not face negative consequences as a result of the child nutrition bill. While the funding of this bill concerns me. both the SNAP benefits and the Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act are necessary to reduce hunger and to improve our Nations health. It would be a shame if either program were to fall by the wayside. Our President has indicated that he has all intention to ensure a positive commit to the restoration of SNAP funds. and given that commitment. I stand here today in support of the Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act of 2010. Finally. I believe the commitment to cure any funding issue calls for strong support of this bill. Mr. Speaker. we should remember that this Act is not an attempt to borrow money from one social welfare program to fund another. The intention is to assure that both programs. which will benefit the health and wellbeing of children. are adequately funded. Under this bill. children who are on food stamps will receive healthy meals while at school. and should receive healthy dinners and weekend meals as well. I recognize that one in four children is at risk of hunger and that one in three is overweight or obese. our children cannot afford to wait for the improvements to child nutrition that are made in the Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act. Numerous organizations and advocacy groups that are working to reduce hunger and improve nutrition amongst children are in support of this legislation. In turn. it is also important to recognize that the Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act will also provide more meals for children at risk. Included in this act is a provision that will reimburse the Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP) in all fifty states for meals provided to children afterschool. It is widely known. that children who are able to stay after school. and not unsupervised on the streets. are more apt to succeed academically. The 21 million meals provided through this provision will offer more incentives for more comprehensive after school programs that will subsequently improve our nations overall academic performance. The United States obesity rates are higher than the majority of civilized countries in the world. Nutrition and healthy living is a learned behavior. one that is best learned at young ages. Children will not have proper nutrition if their parents and guardians do not provide it for them. While parents undoubtedly have their childrens best interest at heart. it is an unfortunate fact that many families simply cannot afford to provide their children with elements of a nutritious diet composed of healthier ingredients. In a 2008 American School Health Association study. published in the Journal of School Health. the effects of a healthy diet on academic performance were examined and the findings were incredible. It was deduced that a diverse selection of food. to meet the recommended number of servings of each food group. along with a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables. are critical to strong academic performance. The Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act of 2010 provides access to healthier food services to our Nations children. Americas children deserve the opportunity to eat healthily. to live healthily. and to succeed academically. Mr. Speaker. as I stand here to speak on behalf of my constituents in Houston. and on behalf of all Texans. I support this child nutrition initiative. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture. there are approximately 2.9 million participants in the school lunch programs statewide. The Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act will undoubtedly support those school lunch programs. and will also ensure that our youth receives a healthy. balanced meal while at school. Though these meals are offered only at school. they encourage healthier eating habits that will hopefully extend throughout the day and throughout their lives. It is absolutely imperative that our Nations schools educate children at a young age about healthy active lifestyles and smart food choices. I support the Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act of 2010 because of its nutrition initiatives aimed at our Nations youth and because it portends billions of dollars in savings over the next ten years. Both nutrition and savings are important to our childrens futures. This Act will save $1 billion over the next ten years by requiring that 12% of Federal support for the National School Lunch Program will be provided in the form of commodity foods. Furthermore. approximately $1.3 billion will be saved over the next ten years by restructuring the education component of the SNAP into a new grant program. it will eliminate the requirement for States to provide matching funds. and will distribute Federal funds instead. The Healthy. HungerFree Kids Act is an important step towards a healthier future for our children. However. I maintain that it is absolutely necessary that SNAP funds are restored. and that that program is not foregone in our efforts. I urge my colleagues to mirror the Senate. and to support this bill. while calling for a commitment to restoring the SNAP funds.