Pryce Votes to Strengthen Child Nutrition and
School Lunch Programs in Ohio

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Deborah Pryce (R-OH) today announced that the U.S. House of Representatives passed unanimously legislation to renew and strengthen the federal child nutrition and school lunch programs.  The initiative includes provisions to improve the integrity of the school lunch program and WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) programs to ensure that eligible children and families have access to quality health care and nutrition.

The bipartisan bill, which has already been passed the Senate, will now be sent to the President for his signature.

“One child who goes to bed hungry at night is one child too many,” Pryce said.  “We must continue our efforts at a national level, partnering with state and local entities, until we combat child hunger once and for all.  The legislation we passed today is a bold step forward to help reduce hunger and improve the health of Ohio’s children.”

“I’m thrilled Ohio is one of the states added to the Lugar pilot program.  This pilot project will help lessen hunger and improve nutrition among many more low-income children during the summer months when school lunches and breakfasts aren’t available,” Pryce said.  “This was one of the most important priorities during reauthorization of the Child Nutrition program, and it will give our state a great opportunity to maximize our dollars and feed more hungry kids.”

“I’m also pleased that the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program has been extended to ensure Ohio can continue to serve fresh fruits and vegetables to children at school.  A U.S. Department of Agriculture evaluation showed that in Ohio this program has helped lessen risk of obesity, and increase students’ awareness and preference for a variety of fruits and vegetables.  The good news is that Ohio will continue to be included in this important and effective program.”

Pryce also worked to secure language in the legislation that highlights a section of the Healthy People 2010 initiative on the importance of breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding is recognized as the best form of infant nutrition and offers specific health and nutrition benefits.  “By including language in the bill to educate mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding, we're taking a much-needed step to see that more children may receive the best form of infant nutrition available,” said Pryce.

Healthy People 2010 initiative was published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has identified a number of important health goals for the nation.  This publication has established breastfeeding initiation goal of 75 percent for all mothers in the U.S.  Currently, 78 percent of non-WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding, but only 58 percent of WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding.  There are many reasons for this discrepancy, and WIC administrators are making an effort to address the challenge.  

Also included in the legislation are provisions to:

Help states & schools fight childhood obesity.  The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act promotes healthy choices and physical activity for children while preserving local decision-making authority.  The establishment of local wellness policies, which would be written at the local level to reflect local needs, will promote nutrition education and increased physical activity while maintaining local control.  These local wellness efforts will complement the larger aims of federal child nutrition programs – combating hunger and food insecurity, and ensuring eligible children receive nutrition assistance.

Improve integrity of the school lunch program.  The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act makes a number of reforms to ensure eligible children have access to services and address growing concerns that the federal school lunch program does not do enough to ensure free and reduced-price lunch benefits go to children who qualify.  By strengthening and streamlining the certification process, the bill will ensure federal resources are being effectively leveraged to serve children in need.

Improve access to nutrition for vulnerable children.  The bill includes steps to improve access for vulnerable children, including: ensuring children whose parents are in the Armed Forces and living in privatized military housing continue receiving free or reduced-price meals at school if they meet eligibility requirements; helping parents by allowing them to submit a single application for multiple children; and reducing paperwork by allowing school lunch certifications to be valid for one full year, preventing situations in which schools are forced to repeatedly certify children within a single school year.