DeLauro Praises Child Nutrition Legislation

Will increase access, improve nutrition, address obesity epidemic

Washington, DC— Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Chairwoman of the FDA and Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement today praising the House passage of the Hunger-Free Kids Act. The bill, which was passed by the Senate earlier this week, will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.

"The Hunger-Free Kids Act represents a long-overdue and much-needed recommitment to the health and well-being of our schoolchildren, and marks a significant step forward against the double-edged problem that millions of young people currently face: a growing obesity epidemic and, for far too many struggling families in this economy, gnawing hunger.

"This bill will add 115,000 new students into the school meals program, providing an additional 21 million meals a year, and helping our schools by providing the first real reimbursement rate increase seen in over thirty years. The Hunger-Free Kids Act also sets national nutrition standards that will finally get all the junk food infiltrating our classrooms and cafeterias out the door, and strengthen farm-to-school networks, so that more healthy produce and local foods can find their way onto the menus.

"By passing this bill, we are helping to ensure that our kids are getting enough nutritious food to stay healthy and grow, to learn and succeed. But with one in five kids in this country receiving food stamp assistance, using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as an offset moves us away from that goal. Nevertheless, this legislation is a big step forward, and while I will continue to push to see this funding restored, I am very happy to see Congress moving in the right direction today."