[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 82 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SCHOOL LUNCH

                                 ______


                        HON. WILLIAM F. GOODLING

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 6, 1996

  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the National School Lunch 
Program celebrated its 50th anniversary. This is 50 years of providing 
children with the nutrition they need to do well in school.
  As a former educator, I could tell the difference between those 
children who ate lunch and those who did not. Those who did not were 
not as engaged in the educational process. They were hungry, they were 
tired and they just didn't focus.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a program which many said we wanted to 
eliminate. But that was never our intention. If it was, I would not be 
up here today, commemorating its 50th anniversary.
  This program has proven its value over and over again. The goal of 
House Republicans was to provide States and local school food service 
providers with the flexibility they needed to provide nutritious, 
healthy meals which students would eat. We weren't trying to eliminate 
it, we were trying to make it better so additional children would 
participate. Currently only 50 percent of low-income children 
participate in the program and 46 percent of middle- and upper-income 
children participate. There was certainly room for improvement.
  Last week the President signed into law a bill which I authored and 
which I hope will provide school food service workers with some of the 
additional flexibility they need to encourage more children to 
participate in this program. ``You can't teach a hungry child,'' and, 
considering only 50 percent of low-income children participate in the 
program, we have a long way to go before we insure these children are 
well-fed and able to receive the education they need to succeed in 
life.
  Mr. Speaker, I compliment school food service workers throughout the 
United States on their commitment to feeding our Nation's children. 
Their dedication is outstanding.
  I take this opportunity to wish the National School Lunch Program a 
happy 50th birthday and wish it many, many more years of success in 
providing nutrition to schoolchildren throughout the United States.

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