Western Regional Anti-Hunger Coalition

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Update
May 19, 2003

As the Senate Agriculture Committee moves toward a June mark up for a Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill, several Senators have introduced bills related to child nutrition. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) introduced 3 bills on May 7, and on May 14 announced the support of a broad coalition of national and state organizations. Kohl bills include the following:

S. 1020: School Breakfast:
- Universal breakfast pilots for high schools
- Start-up grants for lowest performing states on school breakfast
- Added funds for commodities in the School Breakfast Program

S. 1021: SFSP:
- Extends the Lugar pilot to all states
- Reduces area eligibility for open sites from 50% to 40%
- Provides $5 million in competitive start-up grants for ten states

S. 1022: CACFP:
- Reduces area eligiblity for the Child and Adult Care Food Program from 50% to 40%
- Expands the current supper pilot to 6 states (2 by open competition)

Action Needed:
Bipartisan sponsors for Kohl's bills are needed. A particular western target is Sen. Smith of OR.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has also introduced several bills related to reauthorization, including a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind), S. 1007, that increases the authority of the USDA Secretary to regulate foods sold during the lunch period in schools.

Leahy's S. 995, Child Nutrition Initiatives Act of 2003 establishes healthy school grants, farm to cafeteria grants, authorizes full funding of WIC, separate funding for WIC Farmers Market Programs, and reestablishing the Nutrition Education and Training (NET) program. Sen. Leahy's news release summarizes both bills.

Action Needed:
FRAC is continuing to solicit signers to the Call to Congress supporting positive Child Nutrition Reauthorization measures. To sign on, go to the FRAC website.