A child nutrition bill was approved by the House and sent to President Obama’s desk Thursday. Coming in at $4.5 billion, the child nutrition bill aims to provide lunches and dinners for a growing number of poor kids, set nutrition specifications for cafeteria menus and purge school vending machines of junk food. A move by Democrats to funnel cash from food stamp programs into the child nutrition bill might have helped to overcome the usual Republican opposition to new legislation. Post resource – Child nutrition bill passed by Congress despite GOP maneuvering by Money Blog Newz.
What are elements of the child nutrition bill?
The house passed the child nutrition bill with a 264-157 vote. This past summer there was a unanimous approval from the Senate. $4.5 billion will be added to the us government spending on child nutrition over the next decade. Federal reimbursements to families for school lunches will boost more than the inflation rate for the very first time since 1973. Not only will the secretary of agriculture have the power to set the standards in school lunches, it may also have the power to control what is sold in vending machines. These new implementations are going to bring more grains, less fat, and more fruits and veggies to school children's food.
Child nutrition bill supported by who?
The food nutrition bill had been written with guidance from studies conducted by the National Academy of Sciences and input from children’s advocates as well as the food industry. This bill is supported by many groups of people from health care, to food industries, to religious groups, and more. The nation's health has been shown in many studies to be substantially impacted by school lunch programs. Reducing health care costs, enhancing learning, reducing childhood hunger and obesity, are just a couple of the benefits of having a good lunch program in place.
The politics behind child nutrients
Republicans tried their hardest to get this bill sent back to the Senate, instead of the president. Republicans take over the house in January, and if they could have just gotten it delayed that long they would have killed the whole bill then. Telling people how and what to eat, also as a rise in government spending, were the two arguments the Republicans tried to use to stop the bill. The $4.5 billion this program will cost is going to come in part from a cut in food stamps by $2.2 billion. 15 republicans did agree on the bill anyway.
Information from
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/12/03/us/politics/03child.html?_r=1
Washington Post
washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/02/AR2010120202737.html?hpid=topnews
NPR
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131206956
In the child nutrition bill
The child nutrition bill was passed by the House on a 264-157 vote. This past summer there was a unanimous approval from the Senate. $4.5 billion will be added to the government spending on child nutrition over the next decade. Federal reimbursements to families for school lunches will increase more than the inflation rate for the first time since 1973. Language in the child nutrition bill gives the secretary of agriculture authority to set standards for meals consumed by school children, including food sold in vending machines. Children will start seeing more fruits and vegetables, more grains, and less fat under the new guidelines.
Child nutrition bill supported by who?
The food nutrition bill was written with guidance from studies conducted by the National Academy of Sciences and input from children’s advocates as well as the food industry. Labor unions, health care industries, educational groups, religious groups, beverage groups, and many more all support this bill being implemented. The nation's health has been shown in many studies to be substantially impacted by school lunch programs. The bill’s supporters said it could enhance learning, reduce health care costs and help reduce both childhood hunger and obesity.
GOP turning this into a political debate
Republicans tried to derail the child nutrition bill with a procedural maneuver that would have sent it back to the Senate instead of to the president for a signature. Republicans take over the house in January, and if they could have just gotten it delayed that long they would have killed the whole bill then. The Republican party line was that the bill increased federal spending and the government had no business telling families what they should eat. The $4.5 billion this program will cost is going to come in part from a cut in food stamps by $2.2 billion. There were about 15 republicans that were still in support of this bill regardless.
Information from
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/12/03/us/politics/03child.html?_r=1
Washington Post
washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/02/AR2010120202737.html?hpid=topnews
NPR
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131206956
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