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Senate passes child nutrition bill

On a voice vote, the Senate passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act late Thursday. The bill increases funding for federal child nutrition programs by $4.5 billion over the next ten years. The first such increase in 40 years.

The bill allocates $3.2 billion to improve the quality of school meals including new stricter nutrition standards, funding to establish school gardens and local sources for food. The bill also mandates USDA to develop nutrition standards for all food sold in schools not just what is in the lunch line. The other $1.2 billion will be used to expand the number of children receiving food from nutrition programs including after-school meals.

First Lady Michelle Obama praised the Senate’s action stating: “While childhood obesity cannot be solved overnight, with everyone working together, there’s no question that it can be solved — and today’s vote moves us one step closer to reaching that goal.”

The House has yet to act on the bill, hopes are they will before the current programs expire on September 30th.

AUDIO: Senate Ag Committee Chair Lincoln speaks to the bill

Statement from the First Lady on the Senate Passing Child Nutrition Legislation

I am thrilled that Congress has taken a major step forward today in passing the Child Nutrition bill – a groundbreaking piece of legislation that will help us provide healthier school meals to children across America and will play an integral role in our efforts to combat childhood obesity. Over the past few months, this bill has garnered widespread support from both Democrats and Republicans, all of whom care deeply about the health and wellbeing of our children and are committed to ensuring they have the nutrition they need to learn, grow and succeed. I know how much work it has taken to get to this point, and I want to commend Senators Reid, Lincoln, McConnell, and Chambliss for their leadership and thank them for their work to garner bipartisan support for this legislation. While childhood obesity cannot be solved overnight, with everyone working together, there’s no question that it can be solved — and today’s vote moves us one step closer to reaching that goal.