[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5938 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5938

          To reduce childhood obesity, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2006

  Mrs. Lowey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined 
 by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as 
        fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
          To reduce childhood obesity, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Obesity in Schools Act of 
2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) It is estimated that 64.5 percent (119,000,000) of 
        American adults and 15 percent (9,000,000) of American children 
        are overweight or obese.
            (2) The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 
        more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 7 percent in 
        1980 to 18.8 percent in 2004. The rate among adolescents aged 
        12 to 19 more than tripled, increasing from 5 percent to 17.1 
        percent.
            (3) An estimated 61 percent of overweight young people have 
        at least 1 additional risk factor for heart disease, such as 
        high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In addition, children 
        who are overweight are at greater risk for bone and joint 
        problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems 
        such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.
            (4) According to the Department of Health and Human 
        Services, obesity-related illnesses cost this nation 
        approximately $117,000,000,000 per year in increased health 
        care costs. This includes $61,000,000,000 in direct medical 
        costs for treatment of related diseases and $56,000,000,000 in 
        indirect costs such as lost productivity.
            (5) A report released by Trust for America's Health, 
        entitled ``F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in 
        America'', found that the United States does not have an 
        aggressive, coordinated national strategy needed to address 
        this crisis.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE CHILDHOOD OBESITY.

    The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in cooperation with 
State and local governments, Federal agencies, local educational 
agencies, health care providers, the research community, and the 
private sector, shall develop a national strategy to reduce childhood 
obesity in the United States. Such strategy shall--
            (1) provide for the reduction of childhood obesity rates by 
        10 percent by the year 2010;
            (2) address both short- and long-term solutions to reducing 
        the rates of childhood obesity in the United States;
            (3) identify how the Federal Government can work 
        effectively with State and local governments, local educational 
        agencies, health care providers, the research community, the 
        private sector, and other entities as necessary to implement 
        the strategy; and
            (4) include measures to identify and overcome all obstacles 
        to achieving the goal of reducing childhood obesity in the 
        United States.

SEC. 4. GRANTS TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES TO ADOPT WELLNESS POLICIES 
              AND ANTI-OBESITY INITIATIVES.

    (a) Grants.--The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention shall make grants to local educational agencies to reduce 
childhood obesity by adopting wellness policies and anti-obesity 
initiatives.
    (b) Use of Funds.--As a condition on the receipt of a grant under 
this section, a local educational agency shall agree to use the grant 
to reduce childhood obesity by adopting wellness policies and anti-
obesity initiatives, which may include one or more of the following:
            (1) Strategies to improve the nutritional value of food 
        served on school campuses.
            (2) Innovative ways to incorporate nutrition education into 
        the curriculum from prekindergarten through grade 12.
            (3) Increased physical activity in during-and-after-school 
        activities.
            (4) Any other measure that, in the determination of the 
        Director, may provide a significant improvement in the health 
        and wellness of children.
    (c) Cost Sharing.--As a condition on the receipt of a grant under 
this section, a local educational agency shall agree to pay, from funds 
derived from non-Federal sources, not less than 25 percent of the costs 
of the activities carried out with the grant.
    (d) Application.--To seek a grant under this section, a local 
educational agency shall submit an application to the Director at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director 
may require.
    (e) Annual Accountability Report.--As a condition on the receipt of 
a grant under this section, a local educational agency shall agree to 
submit an annual accountability report to the Director. Each such 
report shall include a description of the degree to which the agency, 
in using grant funds, has made progress in reducing childhood obesity.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2007 through 2010.

SEC. 5. EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS FOR THE PREVENTION OF OBESITY IN 
              CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

    (a) In General.--For the purpose described in subsection (b), the 
Director shall (directly or through grants or contracts awarded to 
public or nonprofit private entities) arrange for the evaluation of a 
wide variety of existing programs designed in whole or in part to 
prevent obesity in children and adolescents, including programs that do 
not receive grants from the Federal Government for operation.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the evaluation under this section 
shall be to determine the following:
            (1) The effectiveness of programs in reducing obesity in 
        children and adolescents.
            (2) The factors contributing to the effectiveness of the 
        programs.
            (3) The feasibility of replicating the programs in other 
        locations.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit a report to the 
Congress on the results of the evaluation under this section.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2007 through 2010.

SEC. 6. HEALTHY LIVING AND WELLNESS COORDINATING COUNCILS.

    (a) Grants.--The Director shall make grants on a competitive basis 
to State governments, local governments, and consortia of local 
governments to reduce childhood obesity through--
            (1) establishing or expanding healthy living and wellness 
        coordinating councils; and
            (2) supporting regional workshops.
    (b) Uses of Funds.--As a condition on the receipt of a grant under 
this section, an entity shall agree to use the grant to carry out one 
or more of the following:
            (1) Establishing a healthy living and wellness coordinating 
        council.
            (2) Expanding the activities of a healthy living and 
        wellness coordinating council, including by implementing State-
        based or region-wide activities that will reduce the rates of 
        childhood obesity.
            (3) Supporting regional workshops designed to permit 
        educators, administrators, health care providers, and other 
        relevant parties to share successful research-based strategies 
        for increasing healthy living and reducing obesity in 
        elementary and secondary schools.
    (c) Council Requirements.--In this section, the term ``healthy 
living and wellness coordinating council'' means an organization that--
            (1) is charged by a State government, a local government, 
        or a consortium of local governments, as applicable, to 
        increase healthy living and reduce obesity in elementary and 
        secondary schools; and
            (2) is composed of educators, administrators, health care 
        providers, and other relevant parties.
    (d) Cost Sharing.--As a condition on the receipt of a grant under 
this section, an entity shall agree to pay, from funds derived from 
non-Federal sources, not less than 25 percent of the costs of the 
activities carried out with the grant.
    (e) Annual Accountability Report.--As a condition on the receipt of 
a grant under this section, an entity shall agree to submit an annual 
accountability report to the Director. Each such report shall include a 
description of the degree to which the entity, in using grant funds, 
has made progress in increasing healthy living and reducing obesity in 
elementary and secondary schools.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2007 through 2010.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``Director'' means the Director of the Centers 
        for Disease Control and Prevention.
            (2) The term ``local educational agency'' has the meaning 
        given to that term in section 9101 of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
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