Child Nutrition Act

School Lunch Nutrition

Megan Doe and Rumman Haq

Mission:

We want to ensure that students in Philadelphia have access to healthy foods that will benefit their health and boost their performance in school. In addition to providing nutritious foods to all of the Philadelphia School Districts’ students, we strive to reduce ill diet related diseases and hunger. Currently in Philadelphia, according to City Council, one in three children rely on emergency food programs.

Supporters:

The School Breakfast Program, the National School Lunch Program (these are permanently authorized), and School Nutrition Association.

Opponents:

Lunch trucks that purpos ely park near schools and neighbor hood stores that only provide affordable “junk food.”

All current Child Nutrition Bills

Joe Sestak, current runner for US senate supported the “Student Breakfast and Education Improvement Act of 2009.” The act was created in effort to provide schools with at least 65% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. Today in Philadelphia public schools this is still seen.

The Child Nutrition Act has been renewed. In summary:

• Supports Obama's fight in ending child hunger by 2015
• An additional 1 billion dollars for every 10 years of the authorizing legislation
• Applications regarding free or reduced lunch should be done on the computer to reduce "obstacles", "stigmas", and "unnecessary costs to the School District of Philadelphia."
• Reduce obesity and diet related diseases
• Ensure that all children have access to healthy and nutritious foods while protecting the needs of the citizens of Philadelphia

Representative: Congressmen Robert Brady (D)  
(District 1)
DC phone: (202) 225-4731
District office:
1907-09 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19148
Phone: (215) 389-4627
Fax: (215) 389-4636

Along with other public officials: Chakka Fattah and Allyson Schwartz.

In 2009, Robert Brady along with other Pennsylvania representatives introduced the  Paperless Enrollment for School meals Act of 2009. The bill allowed:

1) Allows schools or districts that agree to serve breakfast and lunch free to all students for 5 years to be reimbursed based on socioeconomic data rather than individual student applications.

2) Makes it easier for schools serving high-poverty areas to provide free meals to all children by allowing data-based eligibility. The school or district gets administrative relief in exchange for covering any costs that exceed federal reimbursements.

“Passing the bipartisan child nutrition bill is vital to children and families in Pennsylvania and across the country,” said Senator Casey. “Especially because of the economy, more children depend on these programs so they don’t go hungry.  More than one million children participate in the school lunch program in Pennsylvania with nearly 200 million lunches served each year.” according to (Politic PA)
The renewal of bill delayed:

“Congress has already passed two extensions for this bill, delaying renewal of the child nutrition programs for more than a year.  Another extension would cause kids to lose out on the strong reforms and $4.5 billion in resources already passed by the Senate. (Thehill.com)

House of Representative Bob Brady and our lobbying group have agreed on many political views in the past such as:National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010.

Bob Brady was a big supporter of the health care reform earlier this year.
However, he may have supported the Nutrition cause in the past, we have yet to find information about his progress of the 2010 Renewal of the Child Nutrition Act.
Congress has put this bill on halt because of the economic crisis according to PA Senator Bob Casey. “We are currently facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  The effects of this crisis are far reaching and will impact the Child Nutrition Act reauthorization debate. “  
Progress
The bill may not be great but at least it is a step into improving student health. However, Bob Brady has been a supporter of  child nutrition act, he has yet to speak or support the reauthorizing of the Child Nutrition Act 2010 which is still in the air because of our current economic crisis.

Rep. George Miller (D -- Calif.), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee that drafted the House's child nutrition legislation, released a statement commending the Senate for its "important step forward."

During this 2010 election, even though the bill has yet to be  reauthorized, candidates have not expressed how the feel about the issue. They tried to put a Food Safety Modernization Act to a vote  but the objection of Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, who said he opposed considering the measure stating that it was not fully paid for.
We need to show our support for House passage of the $4.5 billion child nutrition bill that passed the Senate earlier this year. If the bill isn't on the president's desk soon, supporters will have to start over in the new Congress.
The reason why the bill is on hold because they want to improve the bill before it is passed however it is preventing those who can’t afford a good lunch. SNA President, Nancy Rice sent a letter to the Honorable George Miller, Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee on Thursday, September 23, 2010, stating the School Nutrition Association’s support for S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. It is anticipated that the House will likely vote on S. 3307 this week.
They should come to resolution of the act by the end of this month and people should write letters to their local legislation sponsors to pass the bill.

Sources:
http://www.brady.house.gov/
http://frac.org/legislative-action-center/cnr-priorities/current-child-nutrition-bills/
http://www.politicspa.com/casey-urges-passage-of-child-nutrition-bill/14120/
http://casey.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=e881bb5e-f7ac-43e8-8b6c-62cd319d44a1
http://www.brady.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=43&sectiontree=42,43