DeLauro Applauds Higher Standards for School Lunches

Washington, DC— Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) released the following statement today praising the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new rule, which will raise the nutritional standards for school meals. The rule is part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which Congresswoman DeLauro supported and was signed into law by President Obama on December 13, 2010.

"The issuance of this proposed rule is a great first step toward combating childhood obesity. Approximately one in three children are considered overweight and the only way to make progress toward reducing this rate is by increasing the availability of healthier, more nutritious foods in our school cafeterias. Given that nearly 32 million school lunches and 12 million school breakfasts are served every year, proper nutrition for these meals is crucial, and I am pleased that USDA has moved forward with ensuring our children have access to the nutrition they need to grow and learn."