October 24, 2003

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Delayed:
Focus Shifts to Fiscal Year 2005 Budget

Background:

Speculation continues to swirl around Washington as to why Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Thad Cochran (R-MS) postponed mark up of his child nutrition reauthorization legislation until early next year. The rationale offered by committee staff was that the delay was due to the House Education and the Workforce's decision not to take up a multi-year reauthorization until early next year, supported by HR 3232, a bill introduced by Subcommittee Chairman Michael Castle (R-DE), to extend Child Nutrition Programs through FY 2004. Congress Daily reported another rationale that "(Sen.) Grassley was planning to offer an amendment to limit farm program payment limitations to the child nutrition reauthorization bill that Senate Agriculture Chairman Cochran announced Friday he would delay until next year. A Cochran spokesman said ... that Cochran had decided to delay the bill because the House was not planning to act until next year. But farm lobbyists and Senate Democratic aides said the real reason was that Grassley was planning to offer the amendment and to use the resulting money for additional child nutrition spending." The House is expected to consider HR 3232 the week of October 27. An amendment to limit the bill to 6 months is expected to pass, setting the stage for the House and Senate to pass a multi-year reauthorization bill early next year when Congress returns.

Committee Democrats, led by full Ranking Member Rep. George Miller (D-CA) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) are expected to introduce "The Healthy Children through Better Nutrition Act of 2003," a comprehensive "message" bill next week. Click here for a short summary or long summary of the bill.

Message and Action on Child Nutrition Reauthorization:

1. As the President continues to put together his FY 2005 budget, advocates are urged to write, fax and call President George W. Bush and USDA Under Secretary Eric Bost and urge the Administration to reserve additional ("new") funding in the FY 2005 budget to fund improvements in Child Nutrition Programs. Contact information:
   

• President George W. Bush
  The White House
  1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
  Washington, DC 20500
  202-456-1414 (tel)
  202-456-2461 (fax)
  email: president@whitehouse.gov
  
  
• Under Secretary for Food Nutrition and Consumer Services Eric Bost
  USDA, Room 240-E
  1400 Independence Ave. S.W.
  Washington, DC 20250
  202-690-3100 (fax)
  
  
2. Message to Congress: Continue to urge Members and their staff (especially those on the Senate Agriculture Committee and House Education and the Workforce Committee) to use this period prior to a House and Senate mark up to:
   
   • Do no harm to the child nutrition programs; and
     
   • Enact positive improvements to the programs.
     

3. For specific messages, as well as details of the package of bills introduced by Senator Herb Kohl (S. 1020, S. 1021, S. 1022), visit the FRAC Child Nutrition Reauthorization Website. Also on the site is a new FRAC summary of the Kohl bills as well as background information and talking points about the "overcertification" issue.
   
   
   

Factsheets on Child Nutrition Programs School Breakfast  |  School Lunch  |  Afterschool  |  Summer Food Women, Infants, and Children  |  Child and Adult Care Food Program

Prepared by the Food Research & Action Center, 1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009; 202-986-2200; www.frac.org