Carper Applauds Senate Passage of Child Nutrition Bill

WASHINGTON – Today Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) applauded the Senate’s passage of the The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S.3307). The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The bipartisan, completely paid-for legislation will make the largest investment in child nutrition programs since their inception. It also takes a critical step to address the epidemic of childhood obesity with a provision to require the Secretary of Agriculture, through a transparent regulatory process, to establish national nutrition standards consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for all foods sold on school campuses throughout the school day. 

"The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is an important investment in our nation’s children and their future," said Sen. Carper.  "Our kids need regular access to wholesome food and meals so they can lead healthy lives and learn to the best of their ability.  Unfortunately too many of our kids don’t have enough healthy food available to them, which is why nearly 40 percent of our children in Delaware are either obese or overweight.  This legislation tackles this problem and will ensure that all children, regardless of where they live, have access to nutritious and healthy meals while they are at school."

The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act reauthorizes the child nutrition programs before they expire on September 30^th and provides the first non-inflationary increase in the Federal reimbursement rate for school lunch programs since 1973. 

Detailed summaries of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act are available here: http://ag.senate.gov/site/legislation.html.