[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 41 (Thursday, April 2, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E584-E585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE CHILD NUTRITION AND WIC REAUTHORIZATION AMENDMENTS 
                                OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 1998

  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the Child 
Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998 on behalf of the 
Administration. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Executive 
Branch has transmitted to the Congress a bill to reauthorize our Child 
Nutrition programs and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for 
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. This legislation is cost-
neutral over five years, simplifies and streamlines program operations, 
provide access to qualified participants, helps to ensure program 
integrity and improves food safety. I am happy to sponsor this bill and 
strongly encourage my colleagues to support it as well.
  The Child Nutrition Programs and the WIC Program are absolutely 
critical to our Nation's future. There is no question of the need to 
reauthorize the expiring programs and, where we can, improve access, 
eliminate unnecessary paperwork, and reduce the chance for abuse. I 
believe the Administration bill moves us toward these goals and is an 
excellent starting point as we begin our efforts to reauthorize these 
programs.
  Among the many improvements in the legislation, the bill would:
  Give authority for an after school program in the Child and Adult 
Care Food Program for at risk youths between the ages of 12-18; this is 
a critical provision as so many children need a positive and supportive 
after school option since the highest instances of juvenile crime occur 
during the hours immediately following the end of the school day and 
the dinner hour;
  Require schools to make every effort to establish adequate time for 
kids to eat school lunches in a ``child friendly'' atmosphere ensuring 
good nutrition;
  Authorize Nutrition Education and Training grants based on $.50 per 
child per year with a minimum of $75,000 per state;
  Give authority for USDA to pay for the cost of removing any foods 
that have been found to be unhealthy or contaminated;
  Require that food service operations of participating schools be 
inspected for health and safety;
  Increase the number of sites and children that can be served by non-
profit sponsors in the Summer Food Service Program;
  Improve management of the WIC program with changes in how states can 
manage ``spend forward'' funds and require documentation of income for 
WIC participants;
  Tighten penalties on vendors who violate the rules for participation 
in the WIC program.
  There are a number of other provisions in the bill that I will not 
discuss at this point, but are designed to improve program operations. 
On whole, the bill represents a balanced and thoughtful approach to 
improving the programs at a time when budgets are very tight and tough 
choices must be made about where to spend our limited resources.
  There is one provision of this legislation regarding the WIC program 
which I cannot support and another for which the Ranking Member and I 
are concerned. First, the bill would require that the Secretary of 
Agriculture propose regulations to verify the income of WIC 
participants. I cannot support this provision because I believe it 
would drive legitimate recipients out of the program and would add to 
the administrative burdens on WIC clinics when it is not at all clear 
that much improvement in accountability would be obtained. Recent 
testimony before the Education and Workforce Committee reinforces my 
belief that this provision is not necessary and should not be included 
in the final bill which Congress sends to the President. Second, the 
bill would terminate the Secretary's authority to administer the very 
small segment of child nutrition programs, which certain states do not 
presently administer for a variety of reasons, at the USDA Regional 
level. The Ranking Member and I are committed to closely examining this 
proposal as we proceed through the reauthorization process and ensure 
that, if enacted, it will not jeopardize the nutritional meals and 
snacks which children presently receive under these programs.
  I am looking forward to working with the Department of Agriculture, 
and Under Secretary Shirley Watkins, and my colleagues here in the 
Congress to enact the positive features of this legislation and other 
beneficial provisions as we work to improve our child nutrition 
programs through this reauthorization.

[[Page E585]]



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