[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 97 (Monday, July 20, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H5865-H5874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CHILD NUTRITION AND WIC REAUTHORIZATION AMENDMENTS OF 1998

  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3874) to amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to make 
improvements to the special supplemental nutrition program for women, 
infants, and children and to extend the authority of that program 
through fiscal year 2003, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3874

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Child 
     Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents is as 
     follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Effective date.

          TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH ACT

Sec. 101. Provision of commodities.
Sec. 102. Nutritional and other program requirements.
Sec. 103. Special assistance.
Sec. 104. Miscellaneous provisions and definitions.
Sec. 105. Summer food service program for children.
Sec. 106. Commodity distribution program.
Sec. 107. Child and adult care food program.
Sec. 108. Meal supplements for children in afterschool care.
Sec. 109. Universal free breakfast pilot projects.
Sec. 110. Training and technical assistance.
Sec. 111. Compliance and accountability.
Sec. 112. Information clearinghouse.
Sec. 113. Accommodation of the special dietary needs of individuals 
              with disabilities.

        TITLE II--AMENDMENTS TO THE CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 1966

Sec. 201. State administrative expenses.
Sec. 202. Special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, 
              and children.
Sec. 203. Nutrition education and training program.

     SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall take 
     effect on October 1, 1998, or the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, whichever occurs later.
          TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH ACT

     SEC. 101. PROVISION OF COMMODITIES.

       Section 6 of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1755) 
     is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b), by striking ``authorized under 
     subsection (c)'' and inserting ``required under subsections 
     (c) and (e)'';
       (2) by striking subsections (c) and (d); and
       (3) by redesignating subsections (e), (f), and (g) as 
     subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively.

     SEC. 102. NUTRITIONAL AND OTHER PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) State or Local Health and Safety Inspections.--Section 
     9 of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) If the food service operations of a school 
     participating in the school lunch program under this Act or 
     the school breakfast program under section 4 of the Child 
     Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) are not required by 
     State or local law to undergo health and safety inspections, 
     then the school shall twice during each school year obtain 
     State or local health and safety inspections to ensure that 
     meals provided under such programs are prepared and served in 
     a healthful and safe environment.''.
       (b) Single Permanent Agreements Between State Agencies and 
     School Food Authorities; Common Claiming Procedures.--

[[Page H5866]]

     Section 9 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1758), as amended by this 
     Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(i)(1) If a single State agency administers the school 
     lunch program under this Act, the school breakfast program 
     under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
     1773), the summer food service program for children under 
     section 13 of this Act, or the child and adult care food 
     program under section 17 of this Act, then such agency--
       ``(A) shall require each school food authority to submit a 
     single agreement with respect to the operation of such 
     programs by such authority; and
       ``(B) shall require a common claiming procedure with 
     respect to meals and supplements served under such programs.
       ``(2) The agreement described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be 
     a permanent agreement that may be amended as necessary.''.

     SEC. 103. SPECIAL ASSISTANCE.

       (a) School Eligibility Requirements for Payments.--Section 
     11(a)(1) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1759a(a)(1)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (C)--
       (A) in clause (i)(I), by striking ``3 successive school 
     years'' each place it appears and inserting ``4 successive 
     school years''; and
       (B) in clauses (ii) and (iii), by striking ``3-school-year 
     period'' each place it appears and inserting ``4-school-year 
     period''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (D)--
       (A) in clause (i)--
       (i) by striking ``3-school-year period'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``4-school-year period''; and
       (ii) by striking ``2 school years'' and inserting ``4 
     school years'';
       (B) in clause (ii)--
       (i) by striking the first sentence; and
       (ii) by striking ``5-school-year period'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``4-school-year period''; and
       (C) in clause (iii), by striking ``5-school-year period'' 
     and inserting ``4-school-year period''.
       (b) Adjustments to Payment Rates.--
       (1) In general.--Section 11(a)(3)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1759a(a)(3)(B)) is amended--
       (A) in the first sentence, by striking ``The annual'' and 
     inserting ``(i) The annual'';
       (B) in the third sentence--
       (i) by striking ``The adjustments'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(ii) The adjustments''; and
       (ii) by inserting ``through April 30, 1999,'' after ``under 
     this paragraph''; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iii) For the period beginning on May 1, 1999, and ending 
     on June 30, 1999, the national average payment rates for 
     meals and supplements shall be adjusted to the nearest lower 
     cent increment and shall be based on the unrounded amounts 
     used to calculate the rates in effect on July 1, 1998.
       ``(iv) For July 1, 1999, and each subsequent July 1, the 
     national average payment rates for meals and supplements 
     shall be adjusted to the nearest lower cent increment and 
     shall be based on the unrounded amount for the preceding 12-
     month period.''.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--Section 4(b) of the Child 
     Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773(b)) is amended--
       (1) in the second sentence of paragraph (1)(B), by striking 
     ``adjusted to the nearest one-fourth cent,''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)(B)(ii), by striking ``to the nearest 
     one-fourth cent''.

     SEC. 104. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS.

       (a) Adjustments to Reimbursement Rates for Certain States 
     and Territories.--Section 12(f) of the National School Lunch 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(f)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``school breakfasts and lunches'' and 
     inserting ``breakfasts, lunches, suppers, and supplements'';
       (2) by striking ``sections 4 and 11'' and inserting 
     ``sections 4, 11, 13, and 17''; and
       (3) by striking ``lunches and breakfasts'' each place it 
     appears and inserting ``meals''.
       (b) Buy American Requirement.--Section 12 of the National 
     School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(n) Buy American Requirement.--
       ``(1) In general.--For purposes of providing meals under 
     the school lunch program under this Act or the school 
     breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act 
     of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773), the Secretary shall require schools 
     located in the contiguous United States to purchase, to the 
     extent practicable, only food products that are produced in 
     the United States.
       ``(2) Additional requirement.--The requirement of paragraph 
     (1) shall also apply to recipient agencies in Hawaii only 
     with respect to food products that are grown in Hawaii in 
     sufficient quantities to meet the needs of meals provided 
     under the school lunch program under this Act or the school 
     breakfast program under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act 
     of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773).
       ``(3) Definition.--As used in this subsection, the term 
     `food products that are produced in the United States' 
     means--
       ``(A) unmanufactured food products that are grown or 
     produced in the United States; and
       ``(B) manufactured food products that are manufactured in 
     the United States substantially from agricultural products 
     grown or produced in the United States.''.

     SEC. 105. SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN.

       (a) Definition of Private Nonprofit Organizations.--Section 
     13(a)(7)(B) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1761(a)(7)(B)) is amended--
       (1) in clause (i), to read as follows:
       ``(i) operate not more than 25 sites, with not more than 
     300 children being served at any one site (or, with a waiver 
     granted by the State agency under standards developed by the 
     Secretary, not more than 500 children being served at any one 
     site);'';
       (2) by striking clauses (ii) and (iii); and
       (3) by redesignating clauses (iv), (v), (vi), and (vii) as 
     clauses (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v), respectively.
       (b) Offer Versus Serve.--Section 13(f)(7) of such Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1761(f)(7)) is amended in the first sentence by 
     striking ``attending a site on school premises operated 
     directly by the authority''.
       (c) Food Service Management Companies.--
       (1) Contracting for provision of meals or management of 
     program.--Section 13(l)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(l)(1)) 
     is amended--
       (A) in the first sentence--
       (i) by striking ``(other than private nonprofit 
     organizations eligible under subsection (a)(7))''; and
       (ii) by striking ``only with food service management 
     companies registered with the State in which they operate'' 
     and inserting ``with food service management companies''; and
       (B) by striking the last sentence.
       (2) Registration.--Section 13(l)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1761(l)(2)) is amended--
       (A) in the first sentence of the matter preceding 
     subparagraph (A), by striking ``shall'' and inserting 
     ``may''; and
       (B) by striking all after the first sentence.
       (3) Other provisions.--Section 13(l) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1761(l)) is amended--
       (A) by striking paragraph (3); and
       (B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs 
     (3) and (4), respectively.
       (d) Reauthorization of Program.--Section 13(q) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1761(q)) is amended by striking ``1998'' and 
     inserting ``2003''.

     SEC. 106. COMMODITY DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM.

       Section 14(a) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1762a(a)) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by 
     striking ``1998'' and inserting ``2003''.-

     SEC. 107. CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM.

       (a) Eligibility of Institutions.--Section 17(a)(1) of the 
     National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(a)(1)) is amended 
     to read as follows:
       ``(1) an institution (except a school or family or group 
     day care home sponsoring organization) or family or group day 
     care home--
       ``(A)(i) shall be licensed, or otherwise have approval, by 
     the appropriate Federal, State, or local licensing authority; 
     or
       ``(ii) shall be in compliance with appropriate procedures 
     for renewing participation in the program, as prescribed by 
     the Secretary, unless the State has information indicating 
     that the institution or family or group day care home's 
     license will not be renewed;
       ``(B) if Federal, State, or local licensing or approval is 
     not available-----
       ``(i) shall meet any alternate approval standards 
     established by the appropriate State or local governmental 
     agency; or
       ``(ii) shall meet any alternate approval standards 
     established by the Secretary after consultation with the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services; or
       ``(C) if the institution provides care to school children 
     outside of school hours and Federal, State, or local 
     licensing or approval is not required for such institution, 
     shall meet State or local health and safety standards; and''.
       (b) Categorical Eligibility for Even Start Program 
     Participants.--Section 17(c)(6)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1766(c)(6)(B)) is amended by striking ``1997'' and inserting 
     ``2003''.
       (c) Tax Exempt Status of Eligible Institutions; Removal of 
     Notification Requirement for Incomplete Applications.--
     Section 17(d)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(d)(1)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by inserting after the third sentence the following: 
     ``An institution moving toward compliance with the 
     requirement for tax exempt status shall be allowed to 
     participate in the program for a period of not more than 6 
     months unless it can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the 
     State agency that its inability to obtain tax exempt status 
     within the 6-month period is beyond the control of the 
     institution in which case the State agency may grant a single 
     extension not to exceed 90 days.''; and
       (2) by striking the last sentence.
       (d) Use of Funds for Audits of Participating 
     Institutions.--Section 17(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(i)) 
     is amended by striking ``2 percent'' and inserting ``1 
     percent''.
       (e) Permanent Authorization of Demonstration Project.--
     Section 17(p) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(p)) is amended by 
     striking paragraphs (4) and (5).
       (f) Transfer of Homeless Programs.--
       (1) In general.--Section 17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(q) Participation by Emergency Shelters.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
     subsection, an emergency shelter shall be eligible to 
     participate in the program authorized under this section in 
     accordance with the terms and conditions applicable to 
     eligible institutions described in subsection (a).

[[Page H5867]]

       ``(2) Licensing requirements.--The licensing requirements 
     contained in subsection (a)(1) shall not apply to emergency 
     shelters or sites operated by such shelters under the 
     program.
       ``(3) Additional requirements.--
       ``(A) Health and safety standards.--An emergency shelter 
     and each site operated by such shelter shall comply with 
     State or local health and safety standards.
       ``(B) Meal reimbursement.--
       ``(i) Limitation.--An emergency shelter may claim 
     reimbursement--

       ``(I) only for meals and supplements served to children who 
     have not attained the age of 13 and who are residing at an 
     emergency shelter; and
       ``(II) for not more than 3 meals, or 2 meals and a 
     supplement, per child per day.

       ``(ii) Rate.--A meal or supplement eligible for 
     reimbursement shall be reimbursed at the rate at which free 
     meals and supplements are reimbursed under subsection (c).
       ``(iii) No charge.--A meal or supplement claimed for 
     reimbursement shall be served without charge.
       ``(4) Definition of emergency shelter.--As used in this 
     subsection, the term `emergency shelter' has the meaning 
     given such term in section 321(2) of the Stewart B. McKinney 
     Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11351(2)).''.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--(A) Section 13(a)(3)(C) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1761(a)(3)(C)) is amended--
       (i) in clause (i), by adding ``or'' at the end;
       (ii) by striking clause (ii); and
       (iii) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (ii).
       (B) Section 17B of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766b) is hereby 
     repealed.
       (g) Participation by ``At Risk'' Child Care Programs.--
     Section 17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766), as amended by this 
     Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(r) `At Risk' Child Care.--
       ``(1) In general.--Subject to the conditions in this 
     subsection, institutions that provide care to at risk school 
     children during after-school hours, weekends, or holidays 
     during the regular school year may participate in the program 
     authorized under this section. Unless otherwise specified in 
     this subsection, all other provisions of this section shall 
     apply to these institutions.
       ``(2) At risk school children.--Children ages 12 through 18 
     who live in a geographical area served by a school enrolling 
     elementary students in which at least 50 percent of the total 
     number of children enrolled are certified eligible to receive 
     free or reduced price school meals under this Act or the 
     Child Nutrition Act of 1966 shall be considered at risk.
       ``(3) Supplement reimbursement.--
       ``(A) Limitation.--Only supplements served to at risk 
     school children during after-school hours, weekends, or 
     holidays during the regular school year may be claimed for 
     reimbursement. Institutions may claim reimbursement for only 
     one supplement per child per day.
       ``(B) Rate.--Eligible supplements shall be reimbursed at 
     the rate for free supplements under subsection (c)(3).
       ``(C) No charge.--All supplements claimed for reimbursement 
     shall be served without charge.''.

     SEC. 108. MEAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR CHILDREN IN AFTERSCHOOL CARE.

       Section 17A of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1766a) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(2)(C) to read as follows:
       ``(C) operate afterschool programs with an educational or 
     enrichment purpose.''; and
       (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``served to children'' 
     and all that follows and inserting ``served to children who 
     are not more than 18 years of age.''.

     SEC. 109. UNIVERSAL FREE BREAKFAST PILOT PROJECTS.

       Section 18(i) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1769(i)) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(i) Universal Free Breakfast Pilot Projects.--
       ``(1) In General.--
       ``(A) Grants to states.--(i) Subject to the availability of 
     advance appropriations under paragraph (8), the Secretary 
     shall make grants to not more than 5 States to conduct pilot 
     projects in elementary schools under school food authorities 
     located in each such State--
       ``(I) to reduce paperwork;
       ``(II) to simplify meal counting requirements; and
       ``(III) to make changes that will increase participation in 
     the school breakfast program.
       ``(ii) The Secretary shall select States to receive grants 
     under clause (i), and make grants to such States, in the 
     first fiscal year for which appropriations are made to carry 
     out this subsection.
       ``(B) Grants to school food authorities; duration of pilot 
     projects.--(i)(I) A State receiving a grant under 
     subparagraph (A) shall make grants to school food authorities 
     to carry out the pilot projects described in such 
     subparagraph.
       ``(II) The State shall select school food authorities to 
     receive grants under clause (i), and make grants to such 
     authorities, in the first fiscal year for which the State 
     receives amounts under a grant.
       ``(ii) A school food authority receiving amounts under a 
     grant to conduct a pilot project described in subparagraph 
     (A) shall conduct such project for the 3-year period 
     beginning in the first fiscal year in which the authority 
     receives amounts under a grant from the State.
       ``(C) Participation limitation.--A school food authority 
     conducting a pilot project under this paragraph shall ensure 
     that some elementary schools under such authority do not 
     participate in the pilot project.
       ``(2) Waiver authority.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     the Secretary may waive the requirements of this Act and the 
     Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) relating 
     to counting of meals, applications for eligibility, and 
     related requirements that would preclude the Secretary from 
     making a grant to conduct a pilot project under paragraph 
     (1).
       ``(B) Non-waivable requirements.--The Secretary may not 
     waive a requirement under subparagraph (A) if the waiver 
     would prevent a program participant, a potential recipient, 
     or a school from receiving all of the benefits and 
     protections of this Act, the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, or 
     a Federal statute or regulation that protects an individual 
     constitutional right or a statutory civil right.
       ``(3) Requirements for participation in pilot.--To be 
     eligible to participate in a pilot project under this 
     subsection--
       ``(A) a State--
       ``(i) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
     time and in such manner as the Secretary shall establish; and
       ``(ii) shall provide such information relative to the 
     operation and results of the pilot as the Secretary may 
     reasonably require; and
       ``(B) a school food authority--
       ``(i) shall agree to serve all breakfasts at no charge to 
     all children in participating elementary schools;
       ``(ii) shall not have a history of violations of this Act 
     or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.); 
     and
       ``(iii) shall meet any other requirement that the Secretary 
     may reasonably require.
       ``(4) Selection of pilot elementary schools.--To the extent 
     practicable, a State shall select school food authorities to 
     participate in the pilot program under this subsection in a 
     manner that will provide for an equitable distribution among 
     the following types of elementary schools:
       ``(A) Urban and rural elementary schools.
       ``(B) Elementary schools of varying family income levels.
       ``(5) Reimbursement rates.--A school food authority 
     conducting a pilot project under this subsection shall 
     receive reimbursement for each breakfast served under the 
     pilot in an amount equal to the rate for free breakfasts 
     established under section 4(b)(1)(B) of the Child Nutrition 
     Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773(b)(1)(B)).
       ``(6) Commodity entitlement.--A school food authority 
     conducting a pilot project under this subsection shall 
     receive commodities in the amount of at least 5 cents per 
     breakfast served under the pilot. The value of such 
     commodities shall be deducted from the amount of cash 
     reimbursement described in paragraph (5).
       ``(7) Evaluation of pilot project.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
     Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service, shall 
     conduct an evaluation of the pilot projects in each of the 
     school food authorities selected for participation. Such 
     evaluation shall include--
       ``(i) a determination of the effect of participation in the 
     pilot project on the academic achievement, tardiness and 
     attendance, and dietary intake of participating children that 
     is not attributable to changes in educational policies and 
     practices; and
       ``(ii) a determination of the effect that participation by 
     elementary schools in the pilot projects has on the 
     proportion of students who eat breakfast.
       ``(B) Report.--Upon completion of the pilot projects and 
     the evaluation, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
     on Education and the Workforce of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
     and Forestry of the Senate a report containing the evaluation 
     of the pilot required under subparagraph (A).
       ``(8) Reimbursement requirement under breakfast program.--
     (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a school 
     participating in a pilot project under this subsection shall 
     receive a total Federal reimbursement under the school 
     breakfast program in an amount equal to the total Federal 
     reimbursement for the school in the prior year under such 
     program (adjusted for inflation and fluctuations in 
     enrollment).
       ``(B) Funds required for the pilot project in excess of the 
     level of reimbursement received by the school in the prior 
     year (adjusted for inflation and fluctuations in enrollment) 
     may be taken from any non-Federal source or from amounts 
     appropriated to carry out this subsection. If no 
     appropriations are made for the pilot projects, schools may 
     not conduct the pilot projects.
       ``(9) Authorization of appropriations.--
       ``(A) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.
       ``(B) Requirement.--No amounts may be provided under this 
     subsection unless specifically provided in appropriations 
     Acts.''.

     SEC. 110. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

       Section 21(e)(1) of the National School Lunch Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1769b-1(e)(1)) is amended by striking ``1998'' and 
     inserting ``2003''.

[[Page H5868]]

     SEC. 111. COMPLIANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

       Section 22(d) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1769c(d)) is amended by striking ``1996'' and inserting 
     ``2003''.

     SEC. 112. INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE.

       (a) Authority to Establish and Maintain Clearinghouse.--
     Section 26(a) of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1769g(a)) is amended by striking ``shall'' and inserting 
     ``may''.
       (b) Nongovernmental Organization.--Section 26(b) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1769g(b)) is amended in the matter preceding 
     paragraph (1) by inserting after ``shall be selected on a 
     competitive basis'' the following: ``, except that, 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may 
     enter into a contract for the services of any organization 
     with which the Secretary has previously entered into a 
     contract under this section without such organization 
     competing for such new contract, if such organization has 
     performed satisfactorily under such prior contract and 
     otherwise meets the criteria established in this 
     subsection,''.
       (c) Limitation on Amount Provided Under the Contract.--
     Section 26 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1769g) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
     (d) and (e), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       ``(c) Limitation on Amount Provided Under the Contract.--
     The Secretary may provide to the organization described in 
     subsection (b) an amount not to exceed $150,000 in each of 
     fiscal years 1999 through 2003.''.
       (d) Funding.--Section 26(e) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1769g(e)) (as so redesignated) is amended to read as follows:
       ``(e) Funding.--
       ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     $150,000 for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2003 to 
     carry out this section.
       ``(2) Requirement.--No amounts may be provided for the 
     clearinghouse under this section unless specifically provided 
     in appropriations Acts.''.

     SEC. 113. ACCOMMODATION OF THE SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS OF 
                   INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

       Section 27 of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1769h) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 27. ACCOMMODATION OF THE SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS OF 
                   INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may carry out activities 
     to help accommodate the special dietary needs of individuals 
     with disabilities who are participating in a covered program. 
     Such activities may include--
       ``(1) developing and disseminating to State agencies 
     guidance and technical assistance materials;
       ``(2) conducting training of State agencies and eligible 
     entities; and
       ``(3) providing grants to State agencies and eligible 
     entities.
       ``(b) Definitions.--As used in this section:
       ``(1) Individuals with disabilities.--The term `individuals 
     with disabilities' has the meaning given the term `individual 
     with a disability' as defined in section 7(8) of the 
     Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 706(8)).
       ``(2) Covered program.--The term `covered program' means--
       ``(A) the school lunch program authorized under this Act;
       ``(B) the school breakfast program authorized under section 
     4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773); and
       ``(C) any other program authorized under this Act or the 
     Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (except for section 17) that the 
     Secretary determines is appropriate.
       ``(3) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means a 
     school food authority, institution, or service institution 
     that participates in a covered program.
       ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
     for each of the fiscal years 1999 through 2003 to carry out 
     this section.''.
        TITLE II--AMENDMENTS TO THE CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 1966

     SEC. 201. STATE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.

       (a) Reallocation of Amounts.--Section 7(a)(5)(B) of the 
     Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1776(a)(5)(B)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``(i)'';
       (2) by striking the second sentence and all that follows; 
     and
       (3) by adding at the end the following: ``The Secretary 
     shall then allocate, for purposes of administration costs, 
     any remaining amounts among States that demonstrate a need 
     for such amounts.''.
       (b) Elimination of 10 Percent Transfer Limitation.--Section 
     7(a)(6) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1776(a)(6)) is amended to read 
     as follows:
       ``(6) Funds available to States under this subsection and 
     under section 13(k)(1) of the National School Lunch Act may 
     be used by State agencies for the costs of administration of 
     the programs authorized under this Act (except for the 
     programs authorized under sections 17 and 21) and the 
     National School Lunch Act without regard to the basis on 
     which such funds were earned and allocated.''.
       (c) Reauthorization of Program.--Section 7(g) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1776(g)) is amended by striking ``1998'' and 
     inserting ``2003''.

     SEC. 202. SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, 
                   INFANTS, AND CHILDREN.

       (a) Additional Requirements for Applicants.--
       (1) Physical presence requirement.--Section 17(d)(3) of the 
     Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)) is amended 
     by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), each applicant 
     to the program shall be physically present at each 
     certification determination in order to determine eligibility 
     under the program.
       ``(ii) A local agency may waive the requirement of clause 
     (i)--
       ``(I) if required to do so by requirements under the 
     Americans with Disabilities Act;
       ``(II) with respect to a child who was present at the 
     initial certification visit and who is receiving on-going 
     health care from a provider other than such local agency, if 
     the agency determines that the requirement of clause (i) 
     would present a barrier to participation; or
       ``(III) with respect to a child (aa) who was present at the 
     initial certification visit, (bb) who was present at a 
     certification determination within the 1-year period ending 
     on the date of the certification determination described in 
     clause (i), and (cc) who has one or more parents who work, if 
     the agency determines that the requirement of clause (i) 
     would cause a barrier to participation.''.
       (2) Income documentation requirement.--Section 17(d)(3) of 
     the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)), as 
     amended by paragraph (1), is further amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(D)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), in order to be 
     eligible for the program, each applicant to the program shall 
     provide--
       ``(I) documentation of household income; or
       ``(II) documentation of participation in a program 
     described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of paragraph (2)(A).
       ``(ii)(I) A State agency may waive the requirement of 
     clause (i)--
       ``(aa) with respect to an applicant for whom the necessary 
     documentation is not available; or
       ``(bb) with respect to an applicant, such as homeless women 
     or children, for whom the agency determines the requirement 
     of clause (i) would present a barrier to participation.
       ``(II) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to carry 
     out division (aa).''.
       (b) Education and Educational Materials Relating to Effects 
     of Drug and Alcohol Use.--Section 17(e)(1) of such Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1786(e)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following: ``A local agency participating in the program 
     shall provide education or educational materials relating to 
     the effects of drug and alcohol use by a pregnant, 
     postpartum, or breastfeeding woman on the developing child of 
     the woman.''.
       (c) Distribution of Nutrition Education Materials to State 
     Agencies Administering the Commodity Supplemental Food 
     Program.--Section 17(e) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(e)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs 
     (5) and (6), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
       ``(4) The Secretary may provide nutrition education 
     materials, including breastfeeding promotion materials, 
     developed with funds appropriated to carry out the program 
     under this section in bulk quantity to State agencies 
     administering the commodity supplemental food program 
     authorized under sections 4(a) and 5 of the Agriculture and 
     Consumer Protection Act of 1973 at no cost to that 
     program.''.
       (d) Identification of Recipients Participating at More Than 
     1 Site.--Section 17(f) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(f)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(23) Each State agency shall implement a system designed 
     to identify recipients who are participating at more than 1 
     site under the program.''.
       (e) Identification of High Risk Vendors; Compliance 
     Investigations.--
       (1) In general.--Section 17(f) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1786(f)), as amended by this Act, is further amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(24) Each State agency--
       ``(A) shall identify vendors that have a high probability 
     of program abuse; and
       ``(B) shall conduct compliance investigations of such 
     vendors.''.
       (2) Regulations.--Not later than March 1, 1999, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate final regulations 
     to carry out section 17(f)(24) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1786(f)(24)), as added by paragraph (1).
       (f) Reauthorization of Program.--Section 17(g)(1) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(g)(1)) is amended in the first sentence 
     by striking ``1995 through 1998'' and inserting ``1999 
     through 2003''.
       (g) Purchase of Breast Pumps.--Section 17(h)(1)(C) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(1)(C)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``(C)'' and inserting ``(C)(i)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(ii)(I) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     section, with respect to fiscal year 2000 and subsequent 
     fiscal years, a State agency may use amounts made available 
     under clause (i) for the purchase of breast pumps.
       ``(II) A State agency that exercises the authority of 
     subclause (I) shall expend from amounts allocated for 
     nutrition services and administration an amount for the 
     purchase of breast pumps that is not less than the amount 
     expended for the purchase of breast pumps from amounts 
     available for nutrition

[[Page H5869]]

     services and administration for the prior fiscal year.''.
       (h) Nutrition Services and Administration.--
       (1) Allocation of amounts.--Section 17(h)(2)(A) of such Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(2)(A)) is amended in the first sentence by 
     striking ``1995 through 1998'' and inserting ``1999 through 
     2003''.
       (2) Level of per participant expenditure.--Section 
     17(h)(2)(B)(ii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(2)(B)(ii)) is 
     amended by striking ``15 percent'' and inserting ``10 percent 
     (except that the Secretary may establish a higher percentage 
     for small State agencies)''.
       (i) Conversion of Amounts for Food Benefits to Amounts for 
     Nutrition Services and Administration.--Section 17(h)(5)(A) 
     of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(5)(A)) is amended in the 
     matter preceding clause (i) by striking ``achieves'' and all 
     that follows through ``such State agency may'' and inserting 
     ``submits a plan to reduce average food costs per participant 
     and to increase participation above the level estimated for 
     such State agency, such State agency may, with the approval 
     of the Secretary,''.
       (j) Infant Formula Procurement.--Section 17(h)(8)(A) of 
     such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(8)(A)) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:
       ``(iii) A State agency using a competitive bidding system 
     for infant formula shall award contracts to the bidder 
     offering the lowest net price unless the State agency 
     demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the 
     weighted average retail price for different brands of infant 
     formula in the State does not vary by more than five 
     percent.''.
       (k) Infrastructure and Breastfeeding Promotion/Support 
     Activities.--Section 17(h)(10)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1786(h)(10)(A)) is amended by striking ``For each of fiscal 
     years 1995 through 1998,'' and inserting ``For each fiscal 
     year through 2003,''.
       (l) Consideration of Price Levels of Retail Stores for 
     Participation in the Program.--
       (1) In general.--Section 17(h) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1786(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(11)(A) For the purpose of promoting efficiency and to 
     contain costs under the program, a State agency shall, in 
     selecting a retail store for participation in the program, 
     take into consideration the prices that the store charges for 
     foods under the program as compared to the prices that other 
     stores charge for such foods.
       ``(B) The State agency shall establish procedures to insure 
     that a retail store selected for participation in the program 
     does not subsequently raise prices to levels that would 
     otherwise make the store ineligible for selection in the 
     program.''.
       (2) Regulations.--Not later than March 1, 1999, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate final regulations 
     to carry out section 17(h)(11)(A) of the Child Nutrition Act 
     of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(11)(A)), as added by paragraph 
     (1).
       (m) Management Information System Plan.--Section 17(h) of 
     such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)), as amended by this Act, is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(12)(A) In consultation with State agencies, retailers, 
     and other interested persons, the Secretary shall establish a 
     long range plan for the development and implementation of 
     management information systems (including electronic benefit 
     transfers) to be used in carrying out the program.
       ``(B) Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall submit to 
     the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
     and Forestry of the Senate a report on actions taken to carry 
     out subparagraph (A).
       ``(C) Prior to the date of the submission of the report of 
     the Secretary required under subparagraph (B), the cost of 
     systems or equipment that may be required to test management 
     information systems (including electronic benefit transfers) 
     for the program may not be imposed on a retail food store.''.
       (n) Use of Funds in Preceding and Subsequent Fiscal 
     Years.--
       (1) In general.--Clauses (i) and (ii) of section 
     17(i)(3)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(i)(3)(A)(i) and (ii)) 
     are amended to read as follows:
       ``(i) not more than 1 percent (except as provided in 
     subparagraph (C)) of the amount of funds allocated to a State 
     agency under this section for supplemental foods for a fiscal 
     year, and not more than 1 percent of the amount of funds 
     allocated to a State agency under this section for nutrition 
     services and administration for a fiscal year, may be 
     expended by the State agency for allowable expenses incurred 
     under this section for supplemental foods and nutrition 
     services and administration, respectively, during the 
     preceding fiscal year; and
       ``(ii)(I) a State agency may expend, from amounts allocated 
     to the agency for nutrition services and administration, an 
     amount equal to not more than 1 percent of the total amount 
     of funds allocated to the agency under this section for a 
     fiscal year for allowable expenses incurred under this 
     section for nutrition services and administration during the 
     subsequent fiscal year; and
       ``(II) with the prior approval of the Secretary, a State 
     agency may expend, from amounts allocated to the agency for 
     nutrition services and administration, an amount equal to not 
     more than one-half of 1 percent of the total amount of funds 
     allocated to the agency under this section for a fiscal year 
     for the development of a management information system, 
     including an electronic benefit transfer system, during the 
     subsequent fiscal year.''.
       (2) Conforming amendments.--Section 17 of such Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1786) is amended--
       (A) in subsection (h)(10)(A) (as amended by this Act), by 
     inserting after ``nutrition services and administration 
     funds'' the following: ``and food benefit funds''; and
       (B) in subsection (i)(3)--
       (i) by striking subparagraphs (C) through (G); and
       (ii) by redesignating subparagraph (H) as subparagraph (C).
       (o) Farmers Market Nutrition Program.--
       (1) Matching fund requirement.--Section 17(m)(3) of such 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)(3)) is amended in both the first and 
     second sentences by striking ``total'' each place it appears 
     and inserting ``administrative''.
       (2) Ranking criteria for state plans.--Section 17(m)(6) of 
     such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)(6)) is amended--
       (A) by striking subparagraph (F); and
       (B) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (F).
       (3) Reauthorization of Program.--Section 17(m)(9)(A) of 
     such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)(9)(A)) is amended by striking 
     ``1996 through 1998'' and inserting ``1999 through 2003''.
       (p) Disqualification of Certain Vendors.--
       (1) In general.--Section 17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(o) Disqualification of Vendors Convicted of Trafficking 
     or Illegal Sales.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (5), the 
     State agency shall permanently disqualify a vendor convicted 
     of trafficking in food instruments (including any voucher, 
     draft, check, or access device, including an electronic 
     benefit transfer card or personal identification number, 
     issued in lieu of a food instrument pursuant to the 
     provisions of this section), or selling firearms, ammunition, 
     explosives, or controlled substances (as defined in section 
     102 of the Controlled Substances Act) in exchange for food 
     instruments.
       ``(2) Notice of disqualification.--The State agency shall 
     provide the vendor with notification of the disqualification 
     and shall make such disqualification effective on the date of 
     receipt of the notice of disqualification.
       ``(3) Prohibition on receipt of lost revenues.--A vendor 
     shall not be entitled to receive any compensation for 
     revenues lost as a result of the disqualification under this 
     subsection.
       ``(4) Hardship exception in lieu of disqualification.--
       ``(A) In general.-- A State agency may permit a vendor that 
     would otherwise be disqualified under paragraph (1) to 
     continue to redeem food instruments or otherwise provide 
     supplemental foods to participants if the State agency 
     determines, in its sole discretion according to criteria 
     established by the Secretary, disqualification of the vendor 
     would cause hardship to participants in the program 
     authorized under this section.
       ``(B) Civil money penalty.--Whenever a State agency 
     authorizes a vendor that would otherwise be disqualified to 
     redeem food instruments or provide supplemental foods in 
     accordance with subparagraph (A), the State agency shall 
     assess the vendor a civil money penalty in lieu of a 
     disqualification.
       ``(C) Amount.-- The State agency shall determine the amount 
     of the civil penalty according to criteria established by the 
     Secretary.''.
       (2) Regulations.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than March 1, 1999, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate final regulations 
     to carry out section 17(o) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786(o)), 
     as added by paragraph (1).
       (B) Additional requirement.--The final regulations 
     described in subparagraph (A) shall include criteria for 
     determining the amount of civil money penalties in lieu of 
     disqualification and for making hardship determinations under 
     such section.
       (q) Study and Report by Economic Research Service.--Section 
     17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786), as amended by this Act, is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(p) Study and Report by Economic Research Service.--
       ``(1) Study.--The Secretary, acting through the 
     Administrator of the Economic Research Service, shall conduct 
     a study on the effect of cost containment practices 
     established by States under the program for the selection of 
     vendors and approved food items (other than infant formula) 
     on the following:
       ``(A) Program participation.
       ``(B) Access and availability of prescribed foods.
       ``(C) Voucher redemption rates and actual food selections 
     by participants.
       ``(D) Participants on special diets or with specific food 
     allergies.
       ``(E) Participant use and satisfaction of prescribed foods.
       ``(F) Achievement of positive health outcomes.
       ``(G) Program costs.

[[Page H5870]]

       ``(2) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
     enactment of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization 
     Amendments of 1998, the Administrator shall submit to the 
     Secretary of Agriculture, the Committee on Education and the 
     Workforce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee 
     on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a 
     report containing the results of the study conducted under 
     paragraph (1).''.
       (r) Collection and Use of Penalties From Vendor and 
     Recipient Fraud and Abuse.--Section 17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1786), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(q) Use of Penalties From Vendor and Recipient Fraud and 
     Abuse.--Amounts collected from penalties from vendors and 
     recipients relating to violations of any provision of this 
     section (including any regulation established to carry out 
     this section) for fraud and abuse under the program may be 
     used for nutrition services and administration and food 
     benefits only for the 1-year period beginning on the date on 
     which amounts under the penalty are received.''.
       (s) Maximum Amount of Fine for Certain Violations Under the 
     Program.--Section 17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1786), as amended 
     by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(r) Maximum Amount of Fine for Certain Violations Under 
     the Program.--The maximum amount of a fine with respect to 
     the embezzlement, willful misapplication, stealing, obtaining 
     by fraud, or trafficking in food instruments of funds, 
     assets, or property that are of a value of $100 or more under 
     the program shall be $25,000.''.
       (t) Criminal Forfeiture.--Section 17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1786), as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(s) Criminal Forfeiture.--
       ``(1) In general.--In imposing a sentence on a person 
     convicted of an offense in violation of any provision of this 
     section (or any regulation promulgated under this section), a 
     court shall order, in addition to any other sentence imposed 
     under this section, that the person forfeit to the United 
     States all property described in paragraph (2).
       ``(2) Property subject to forfeiture.--All property, real 
     and personal, used in a transaction or attempted transaction, 
     to commit, or to facilitate the commission of, a violation 
     (other than a misdemeanor) of any provision of this section 
     (or any regulation promulgated under this section), or 
     proceeds traceable to a violation of any provision of this 
     section (or any regulation promulgated under this section), 
     shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States under 
     paragraph (1).
       ``(3) Interest of owner.--No interest in property shall be 
     forfeited under this subsection as the result of any act or 
     omission established by the owner of the interest to have 
     been committed or omitted without the knowledge or consent of 
     the owner.
       ``(4) Proceeds.--The proceeds from any sale of forfeited 
     property and any monies forfeited under this subsection shall 
     be used--
       ``(A) first, to reimburse the Department of Justice for the 
     costs incurred by the Department to initiate and complete the 
     forfeiture proceeding;
       ``(B) second, to reimburse the Department of Agriculture 
     Office of Inspector General for any costs the Office incurred 
     in the law enforcement effort resulting in the forfeiture;
       ``(C) third, to reimburse any Federal or State law 
     enforcement agency for any costs incurred in the law 
     enforcement effort resulting in the forfeiture; and
       ``(D) fourth, by the State agency to carry out the 
     approval, reauthorization, and compliance investigations of 
     vendors.''.

     SEC. 203. NUTRITION EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM.

       Section 19(i) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 
     1788(i)) is amended--
       (1) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2);
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as 
     paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively; and
       (3) in paragraph (1) (as redesignated)--
       (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``1997 through 
     2002 '' and inserting ``1999 through 2003''; and
       (B) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
       ``(A) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this section such sums as are necessary for 
     fiscal years 1999 through 2003.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Martinez) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling).
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3874, the Child 
Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998. This bill makes 
important changes to our Nation's vital child nutrition programs. 
Members who have worked with me during my years in Congress know that I 
consider these to be some of the most important programs serving our 
Nation's children. My support of these programs comes primarily from my 
years as an educator where I learned firsthand that children who did 
not consume nutritious meals did not perform very well in school.
  I am most pleased that this year we have been able to work in a 
bipartisan manner with USDA and the nutrition community to craft the 
legislation before us. We need to work together to ensure our Federal 
child nutrition programs are effective in providing nutritious meals to 
participants while increasing accountability and effectiveness.
  There is no new spending in this bill. Every new cost provision has 
an offset. The bill before us today strives to maintain program 
integrity by fighting fraud and abuse in the WIC program. The Committee 
on Appropriations has identified problems within the WIC program that 
this bill addresses. The WIC program has helped improve the health of 
pregnant women and of infants and children. It has made tremendous 
strides in reducing the number of low birth weight babies and birth 
defects caused by poor nutrition. Addressing issues of fraud and abuse 
will only help ensure that program dollars provide important nutrition 
services to participants while not being wasted on individuals who 
illegally benefit from the program.
  The bill also makes numerous changes to nutrition programs that 
provide greater flexibility to States and local providers. I understand 
the burden placed on schools operating multiple nutrition programs.
  I believe some of the most important flexibility provisions contained 
in this bill are those that support a seamless nutrition program for 
schools operating a variety of child nutrition programs. These 
provisions allow schools currently offering meals under the School 
Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food 
Program and the Summer Food Service Program to apply for a single 
monthly claim for all meals using a single, common claiming procedure; 
to have meal patterns be consistent throughout all meal programs, 
including current offer versus serve rules; and to have a single 
permanent agreement between school food authorities and the States' 
Departments of Education.
  Another important provision seeks to address problems of juvenile 
crime by providing a snack to children participating in afterschool 
programs, with an educational or enrichment purpose, keeping them at 
the school rather than on the streets.
  Over the past few years, I have sought to make our Nation's child 
nutrition programs more effective in providing important nutrition 
services to children. Our main goals must remain to provide nutritious 
meals to children and their families and to allow those closest to the 
children the flexibility to determine how to most effectively serve 
their needs. The bill embraces those principles and deserves our 
support.
  I want to commend the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), who 
carried the load to a great degree in the subcommittee; the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Riggs), the chairman of the subcommittee; the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Martinez); and the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Woolsey), who knows a good bit about nutrition. When it 
comes to campaign finance, well, but nutrition, yes.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1415

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3874 for the reauthorization 
of the child nutrition programs. I also rise to compliment the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling), the chairman, the gentleman 
from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the subcommittee chairman, and the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Martinez), our ranking member, for a 
very positive effort.
  This was a bipartisan effort that has resulted in a very good bill. 
This is a good bill that will benefit children in schools and children 
in child care facilities across America. I am pleased that it includes 
my pilot program for universal school breakfasts.
  It also includes a provision from my bill to increase the number of 
schools that can participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program 
and raise the age of students who are eligible for snacks in these 
programs.

[[Page H5871]]

  The school breakfast pilot project will allow five elementary schools 
nationwide to make school breakfasts available to all of their students 
free of charge, not based on economic status, all students. We already 
have two studies which prove that children who eat breakfast improve 
both their grades and their classroom behavior.
  But in today's world, where two working parents are the norm and long 
commutes are common, more and more families are out the door and on the 
road early in the morning with no time to sit down for breakfast. 
Whether we like it or not, many of these children arrive at school 
hungry. So, unless you want to pass a law requiring every family to 
feed their children breakfast before they go to school in the morning 
and then hire a bunch of breakfast police to enforce it, we need to 
look at schools and school breakfast programs in a different way.
  Of course, I believe that this will be a better bill if, in the end, 
it includes the Senate's language on the school breakfast program. Both 
the Senate and the administration support a fully funded pilot program, 
so the House can, I hope, agree and defer in conference.
  Mark my words, Mr. Speaker, the next time we reauthorize child 
nutrition programs, the legislation will include school breakfasts for 
all elementary school children, because I am confident that this pilot 
project will prove that school breakfast is not a welfare program. It 
is an education program.
  I am also pleased that H.R. 3874 will make it easier for schools and 
community organizations to offer after-school programs to teenagers. 
This bill does this by raising the age of eligibility for after-school 
snacks from 13 to 18 years old, which makes it much more affordable to 
offer programs. We know that the vast majority of juvenile crime and 
teen pregnancies occur after the school bell rings and before the 
dinner bell rings. We desperately need more after-school programs for 
adolescents.
  But feeding adolescents, even when it is just a snack, can be very 
expensive. H.R. 3874 will open the Child and Adult Care Food Program to 
low-income teens and to more after-school programs.
  This is not ``Twinkies for teens''. The Police Athletic League and 
other law enforcement organizations have strongly endorsed the benefits 
of after-school programs for adolescents. H.R. 3874 will make more of 
these programs possible.
  Before my enthusiasm causes any of my colleagues on the other side of 
the aisle to reconsider their support of this bill, thinking that it 
might be too generous, let me say that it certainly does not do 
everything that I would want it to do and everything that I think 
should be included. In particular, I hope that we can continue to work 
together to expand the Child and Adult Care Food Program to more low-
income children, those who are in for-profit child care centers.
  H.R. 3874 is a good bill. It is a bill that will benefit millions of 
children. Children are 25 percent of the population in America, but 
they are 100 percent of America's future. This bill is a sound 
investment in our children and our future. I urge my colleagues to 
support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of the time.
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time he may consume to the 
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), who played a major role in 
crafting this legislation.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Goodling) has been, as he indicated and as many have told me, a long-
time supporter of child nutrition programs for the entire time he has 
been in this Congress which has been a number of years now. I think all 
the country and all the children of the country should appreciate that.
  I, too, rise in strong support of H.R. 3747, which is known as the 
Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998. I am 
pleased to state, as we have seen on the floor today, that this a 
bipartisan bill worked out over many long hours of negotiations with 
members on the committee, the nutrition community, and the United 
States Department of Agriculture. In fact, Shirley Watkins who heads 
this for the Department of Agriculture, wrote a letter to me saying: I 
appreciate you and your staff including the Department of Agriculture 
in the effort to enact an excellent child nutrition program. You have 
our commitment to work with you to expeditiously complete the enactment 
process. Thanks for your continued support.
  Obviously, we would like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Martinez), the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Riggs), and their staffs for working with us to 
reach this bipartisan agreement on this legislation.
  When we say bipartisan agreement, it is not quite that simple. I 
remember the gentleman from California (Mr. Martinez) being across the 
table asking me rather hard questions, and the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Woolsey) and others, as a matter of fact, sort of 
coming at me with, can we not do more here or there? But it worked out 
in the long run, and that is what counts, and we appreciate all of 
their concern.
  We know we have not addressed everyone's ultimate concerns, but I 
believe we do have a good bill that will go a long way towards 
improving our Nation's child nutrition programs by reducing red tape 
and bureaucracy, fighting and punishing fraud and abuse, giving program 
providers more flexibility, ensuring our Nation's children have access 
to healthy meals in school, in child care settings, in after-school 
programs and during the summer months, and providing low-income 
pregnant and postpartum women, their infants and young children access 
to nutritious foods.
  Of great significance is the fact that we have been able to make 
these important changes and save money at the same time. This bill 
would save a total of $69 million over 5 years.

  While this legislation contained numerous changes to Federal child 
nutrition programs, I would like to focus on what I consider to be the 
key provisions of the legislation.
  The first provision deals with the provision of snacks to children in 
after-school care programs. I share the concerns of many Members of 
this body with respect to juvenile crime that occurs between the hours 
school ends and their parents return home from work. In fact, I just 
had a round table in Delaware about this just moments before I came 
down here. Beyond crime, unsupervised youth may be involved in other 
undesirable behaviors, such as using drugs and alcohol, smoking, or 
engaging in sexual activities.
  Parents, schools, and communities throughout the United States are 
seeking solutions to this problem. Many families would like their 
children to be involved in structured activities after school, but they 
simply cannot find affordable options.
  In response, many schools and communities are setting up after-school 
programs with an education or enrichment program. H.R. 3874 supports 
these programs through amendments to two nutrition programs, allowing 
the provisions of snacks to children in after-school programs.
  First, it amends the Child and Adult Care Food Program to assist 
organizations operating in high poverty areas to provide a snack to at-
risk children through age 18 who are enrolled in after-school programs.
  Second, it amends an after-school care program under the School Lunch 
Act to permit the provision of snacks to children through the age of 18 
who are participating in after-school programs with an educational or 
enrichment purpose. I believe that these changes will contribute to 
ongoing efforts to reduce juvenile crime and drug and alcohol abuse and 
prevent teen pregnancy.
  Another important provision in this legislation recognizes how hard 
private, nonprofit organizations have worked to overcome their past 
history of program abuse and operate quality summer food programs to 
provide meals to low-income children during the summer months when 
school is not in session. As a result, we lift remaining restrictions 
on their participation in this program.
  Finally, we have modified the WIC program to provide greater 
flexibility to States and local providers in meeting the needs of 
program participants and to address concerns raised about fraud and 
abuse.
  Antifraud provisions contained in this legislation include: 
disqualifying

[[Page H5872]]

WIC vendors convicted of trafficking in WIC food instruments or the 
sale of firearms, ammunition, explosives, or drugs in exchange for WIC 
food instruments; requiring individuals to be physically present in 
order to be certified for the WIC program benefits; requiring WIC 
participants to have income documentation; requiring States to take 
into consideration the prices stores charge for WIC foods in relation 
to prices charged by other stores in making vendor selections.
  It allows States to keep any collections and recoveries of improperly 
paid benefits for use no later than the Federal fiscal year following 
recovery. It raises the maximum fine for trafficking and other 
violations under WIC from $10,000 to $25,000.
  Mr. Speaker, these are but a few of the highlights of the child 
nutrition bill we are considering today. This is a good bipartisan bill 
that will strengthen the child nutrition programs. I encourage my 
colleagues to support this important legislation.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in very, very strong support of this legislation 
to reauthorize WIC and make important changes, as was outlined by the 
gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), in school nutrition programs.
  It is a demonstrated fact, and I do not think anybody can contradict 
it, that those children who do not receive adequate nutrition in their 
early years will struggle throughout their lives.
  We also know that hungry children cannot learn. The school lunch 
program was created actually to address the malnutrition of our 
Nation's soldiers. Staggering numbers of young men drafted to serve in 
World War II lacked the health and strength required to defend this 
country.
  Today, we acknowledge that the education of our children is even more 
important for the future security of the United States, and thus we 
reaffirm our commitment to the child nutrition programs.
  Perhaps the most crucial years for children to receive proper 
nutrition are from the time they are conceived through their preschool 
years. Recent studies have confirmed that significant growth occurs in 
early childhood, and if children lack the nutrition to develop fully, 
they will likely experience lifelong difficulties.
  The special supplemental nutritional program for women, infants, and 
children, or WIC as it is better known, provides mothers with access to 
healthy foods and nutrition education when they are pregnant, and 
continues this assistance throughout the infancy and the early years of 
their children.
  Once children are in school, the national School Breakfast and Lunch 
Program helps to ensure that children have the nutrition necessary to 
learn. It is only fitting that the effort to continue the Federal 
Government's dedication to the health of our children is and was 
bipartisan.
  Throughout the years, Congress has united to strengthen these child 
nutrition programs by assessing the issues of meal standards, food 
safety, program eligibility, cost containment efforts, and 
accountability. The bill before us continues these efforts to enhance 
the nutrition programs while incorporating provisions to address the 
needs of today's children.
  Many of these ideas were first articulated in the reauthorization 
legislation that was introduced by myself on behalf of the 
administration, H.R. 3666. In addition, the inclusion of many of the 
innovative changes in the legislation before us today was made possible 
by the tireless efforts of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Woolsey) and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).
  Last year, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) introduced 
H.R. 3086, the Meals For Achievement Act, which called for the creation 
of universal breakfast program and the provision of nutrition support 
for after-school programs. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of 
that legislation. Through the diligence of the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Woolsey), these proposals are reflected now in H.R. 
3874.
  The importance of after-school programs to the safety of our children 
cannot be denied. A recent Justice Department study confirms that most 
juvenile crime is committed between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. That is why 
helping communities increase the number of after-school programs is a 
priority of the Clinton Administration and many Members of this 
Congress.
  H.R. 3874 expands the Child and Adult Care Food Program to enable 
schools and community organizations serving at-risk teenagers after 
school to provide healthy snacks. Thus, these after-school provisions 
furnish an added incentive to young people to get off the streets and 
into positive programs that help put them on the path to successful, 
healthy futures and enterprises.
  I am equally pleased that we were able to work together to include in 
H.R. 3874 a universal breakfast pilot program. Children miss breakfast 
for a variety of reasons, but they all need to start the day with a 
nutritious meal in order to be ready to learn.
  Of course, we can only be sure that the pilot will take place if it 
is a mandatory program. Unfortunately, the language in H.R. 3874 only 
authorizes discretionary funding.
  The Senate committee, however, approved by unanimous vote legislation 
that will authorize a mandatory universal breakfast pilot. Recently, 
the administration strongly endorsed the Senate's language. It is my 
hope that in conference the House will recede to the Senate's position 
on this matter.
  Thus, we can be certain that universal breakfast programs will 
proceed and ultimately affirm that providing breakfast for all children 
is a means to ensure education success in this country.

                              {time}  1430

  Before I close, I must also thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Goodling) and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), who have 
worked so closely with this side of the aisle to fashion legislation 
that all Members can support and support proudly. I urge my colleagues 
to support its passage.
  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3874, the 
``Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998.'' This is 
a strong bipartisan bill that makes important changes to our nation's 
child nutrition programs.
  While many Members contributed to this legislation, including 
Representative Martinez, I particularly thank Congressman Mike Castle. 
He has performed a tremendous job in putting together this legislation.
  Congressman Castle already has outlined many of the key provisions of 
this legislation. Let me focus on several key provisions.
  As a former member of the House Committee on Appropriations I know 
the WIC program is being closely monitored. We took all possible steps 
necessary to insure the integrity of this program. In addition to the 
provisions outlined by Congressman Castle, I added three provisions to 
H.R. 3874 to help reduce fraud and abuse.
  One provision would require State WIC agencies to design and 
implement systems to identify recipients who might be participating at 
more than one site. We need to guard against the potential for 
participation at multiple WIC sites.
  State WIC agencies also would have to identify vendors that have a 
high probability of program abuse and follow up with compliance 
investigations. Right now WIC agency oversight of vendors varies 
considerably from State to State, but identification and investigation 
of high-risk vendors should be at least a minimum standard.
  A criminal forfeiture amendment provides that those convicted of 
trafficking face forfeiture of property associated with the 
trafficking. This is now the rule for the Food Stamp program.
  I also strongly support the afterschool care provisions included in 
this legislation. Last year, the House passed H.R. 1818, the Juvenile 
Crime Control and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1997. This legislation 
authorized a variety of activities aimed at preventing juvenile crime.
  Several of the witnesses who appeared before our Committee on the 
issue of juvenile crime spoke about the need for high quality 
afterschool care programs to provide educational and enrichment 
activities for youth during the hours when they are most likely to 
engage in delinquent activities. This legislation would support 
afterschool programs through federal reimbursement for snacks in 
afterschool care programs operated by schools, which have an 
educational or enrichment purpose. It also would reimburse for free 
snacks for at-risk children ages 12-18 in afterschool programs in low-
income areas through the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill also includes a variety of other provisions 
that streamline federal child nutrition programs and provide state and 
local providers additional flexibility in providing services to program 
participants. It is a good bill that deserves the support of all 
Members.

[[Page H5873]]

  I encourage my Colleagues to support H.R. 3874.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, Congress should reject H.R. 3874, a bill 
reauthorizing the Women's, Infant, and Children's (WIC) program and 
other childhood nutrition programs, and the flawed redistributionist, 
welfare state model that lies behind this bill. Although the goals of 
this legislation are noble, the means toward achieving the goals 
embodied therein are unconstitutional and ineffective.
  Providing for the care of the poor is a moral responsibility of every 
citizen, however, it is not a proper function of the Federal Government 
to plunder one group of citizens and redistribute those funds to 
another group of citizens. Nowhere in the United States Constitution is 
the Federal Government authorized to provide welfare services. If any 
government must provide welfare services, it should be State and local 
governments. However, the most humane and efficient way to provide 
charitable services are through private efforts. Among their other 
virtues, private charities are much more likely to provide short-term 
assistance rather than fostering long-term dependency upon government 
programs.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that you, and many of my colleagues, understand 
that private charities are also much better able to target assistance 
to the truly needy than government programs, which are burdened with 
bureaucratic rules of eligibility, as well as procedures designed to 
protect the ``due process'' rights of recipients, which cannot be 
adequately changed to meet unique individual circumstances. Thus, many 
people who are genuinely needy do not receive needed help. In fact, 
more than 40 percent of all families living below the poverty level 
receive no government assistance. Private charities can also be more 
effective because they do not have to fulfill administrative 
requirements, such as the WIC program's rebate system, which actually 
divert resources from the needy.
  Private charities are also able to place an emphasis upon reformation 
of personal behavior while not imposing the controls on personal life 
that government programs, such as WIC, impose on the program 
recipients. When a pregnant woman signs up to receive WIC vouchers, she 
is trading away a large amount of her personal freedom. Her choices of 
where to shop will be restricted to WIC-approved vendors and her choice 
of what foods to buy will be restricted to those foods which match the 
WIC nutrition specifications. WIC recipients are also required to 
participate in WIC parenting and nutrition classes.

  As an OB/GYN I certainly recognize the importance of proper nutrition 
for pregnant women and young children. However, as a constitutionalist, 
I strenuously object to the federal government coercing pregnant women 
into accepting such services and restricting their choices of food 
products. The founders of this country would be flabbergasted if they 
knew that the federal government had monopolized the provisions of 
charitable services to low-income women, but they would be horrified if 
they knew the federal government was forbidding poor women from 
purchasing Post Raisin Bran for their children because some federal 
bureaucrats had determined that it contains too much sugar!
  Mr. Speaker, the fact that the manufacture of foods such as Raisin 
Bran battle to get their products included in this program reveals the 
extent to which WIC is actually corporate welfare. Many corporations 
have made a tidy profit from helping to feed the poor and excluding 
their competitors in the process. For example, thanks to the WIC 
program, the federal government is the largest purchaser of infant 
formula in the nation.
  According to the Congressional Research Service, food vendors 
participating in WIC received 9.86 billion in Fiscal Year 1997--75% of 
the total funds spent on the WIC program! This fiscal year, producers 
of food products approved by the federal government for purchase by WIC 
participants are expected to receive $10 billion dollars in taxpayer 
dollars! Small wonder the lobbyists who came to my office to discuss 
WIC were not advocates for the poor, but rather well-healed 
spokespersons for corporate interests!
  Any of my colleagues who doubt that these programs serve the 
interests of large corporations should consider that one of the most 
contentious issues debated at Committee mark-up was opposition to an 
attempt to allow USDA to purchase non-quote peanuts (currently the only 
peanuts available for sale are farmers who have a USDA quota all other 
farmers are forbidden to sell peanuts in the US) for school nutrition 
programs. Although this program would have saved the American taxpayers 
$5 million this year, the amendment was rejected at the behest of 
supporters of the peanut lobby. A member of my staff, who appropriately 
asked why this amendment could not pass with overwhelming support, was 
informed by a staffer for another member, who enthusiastically supports 
the welfare state, that the true purpose of this program is to benefit 
producers of food products, not feed children.
  The main reason supporters of a free and moral society must oppose 
this bill is because federal welfare programs crowd out the more 
efficient private charities for two reasons. First, the taxes imposed 
on the American people in order to finance these programs leave 
taxpayers with fewer resources to devote to private charity. Secondly, 
the welfare state erodes the ethic of charitable responsibility as 
citizens view aiding the poor as the government's role, rather than a 
moral obligation of the individual.
  The best way to help the poor is to dramatically cut taxes thus 
allowing individuals to devote more of their own resources to those 
charitable causes which better address genuine need. I am a cosponsor 
of HR 1338, which raises the charitable deduction and I believe 
Congress should make awakening the charitable impulses of the American 
people by reducing their tax burden one of its top priorities. In fact, 
Congress should seriously consider enacting a dollar-per-dollar tax 
credit for donations to the needy. This would do more to truly help the 
disadvantaged than a tenfold increase in spending on the programs in HR 
3874.
  In conclusion, Congress should reject HR 3874 because the programs 
contained therein lack constitutional foundation, allow the federal 
government to control the lives of program recipients, and serve as a 
means of transferring monies from the taxpayers to big corporations. 
Instead of funding programs, Congress should return responsibility for 
helping those in need to those best able to effectively provide 
assistance; the American people acting voluntarily.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
3874, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998. 
This bill not only reauthorizes the expiring WIC, Summer Food Service, 
State Administrative Expenses, and Commodity Assistance programs, it 
also makes some important improvements to them. We've increased State's 
flexibility in administering these programs, expanded eligibility and 
services for after school programs, and taken steps to reduce fraud in 
the WIC program. My colleagues have even managed to orchestrate a 
savings of $69 million over five years. This is a good bipartisan bill 
that will help millions of children, but I think it could have gone 
farther.
  There is something missing from the bill that would increase 
participation in the Summer Food Service Program. This bill removes 
many barriers for sponsors of the program, thus encouraging more 
organizations to join. Because of expanded outreach efforts by state 
agencies and anti-hunger groups, many more small community-based 
organizations and private non-profit institutions are eager to provide 
summer food service programs.
  However, many of these organizations lack the resources to purchase 
needed equipments such as milk coolers, ovens, microwaves, serving 
utensils, and food storage equipment. They also need funds to advertise 
and promote their programs. These one-time, non-recurring costs are 
often more than small organizations can handle.
  Over 80% of children who are eligible for this program remain 
unserved by it. It's not because there isn't a need for more summer 
food sponsors, and it's not because these kids aren't hungry. The 
Second Harvest National Food Bank Network recently found, among those 
food banks reporting seasonal changes in requests for emergency food, 
nearly half report that requests for emergency food for children 
increase during the summer months when school is out.
  In my district in Cleveland, for example, 63% of the local charities 
reported an increase in the number of children requesting emergency 
food assistance during the summer. Over half of the kids requesting 
emergency food received free or reduced price school meals and are 
eligible for participation in the summer food service program, but only 
11.3% actually participate. During school, these low-income children 
receive up to \1/2\ of their nutrients from school meals. During the 
summer, they do not have access to school breakfasts or lunches.
  Offering sponsors a boost to help them get started would be a 
relatively inexpensive way, especially given the savings from the bill, 
to encourage more organizations to establish summer food service 
programs. A grant program to help defer the one-time costs associated 
with beginning a summer food program would allow more organizations to 
participate in low-income and rural areas that are typically 
underserved by this program.
  I had hoped to work with my friends on the other side of the aisle to 
bring a grant program like this back to the Summer Food Service program 
before we brought this bill to the floor. And while it is not a 
particularly expensive concept and even though no one seems to be 
philosophically or ideologically opposed to the idea, we were unable to 
resolve the issue to include it in this bill. I think that is 
unfortunate for the millions of kids for whom summer vacation means 
hunger instead of fun.

[[Page H5874]]

  I'd like to thank the Food Research and Action Center for their 
support and tireless efforts to increase the reach and scope of 
programs like Summer Food Service. And I encourage my colleagues to 
continue our work on this issue. I think there is a lot more we can do 
for these kids. The Summer Food Service Program is one of the least 
known and most underutilized of the federal nutrition programs. There 
is no reason for so many children to be hungry and under-nourished 
during the summer when we could increase participation in the program 
by offering one-time grants to help more sponsors get started.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support 
for H.R. 3874, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments 
of 1998.
  I have always been a strong supporter of WIC because it gives women 
and young children access to the foods necessary for healthy 
development. WIC provides specific nutritious foods to at-risk, income-
eligible, pregnant, postpartum and breast feeding women, infants and 
children up to five years of age. WIC gives women and young children 
the means to obtain highly nutritious foods like iron-fortified infant 
formula, calcium-rich milk, eggs, juice, and cereal.
  During pregnancy, one of the most fragile periods in a woman's life, 
WIC enhances dietary intake, which improves weight gain and the 
likelihood of a successful pregnancy. After birth, WIC continues to 
promote the health of infants and is responsible for reducing low birth 
weight and infant mortality. Children who participate in WIC receive 
immunizations against childhood diseases at a higher rate than children 
who are not WIC participants. WIC also helps to reduce anemia among 
children.
  As we know, children receiving nutritious meals are in a better 
position to focus on their daily studies. Proper nutrition is an 
integral part of our children's educational experience. In fact, WIC 
has been linked to improved cognitive development among children. WIC 
children are more prepared to learn compared to those children who lack 
proper nutritionally balanced diets.
  In short, WIC is supported by many people and continues to be a 
popular program. It yields tremendous returns on our investments and 
improves the health and well being of pregnant women, infants and 
children. I urge my colleagues to show their support for the WIC 
Program by voting in favor of H.R. 3874.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity 
to speak on this important issue. I support this bill which will 
guarantee that families are able to access the food they need. In 
addition, this program will extend funding for state school lunch 
programs and provide low income families' children with a national food 
program.
  H.R. 3874 reauthorizes this program thorough 2003 to allow the Women, 
Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program provides nutrition, 
education and supplemental food to low-income pregnant and post-partum 
women, infants and children up to age five. These necessary services 
are provided free of charge to eligible individuals and families. This 
bill also contains a number of other provisions including ones that 
extend funding for administration expenses for the State school lunch 
program and reauthorize a national summer food program for children of 
low income families.

  In my own homestate of Texas, in the 18th Congressional District, a 
total of 109,596 women, infants and children receive WIC services each 
month. This means that in Harris County, TX 12,917 pregnant women, 
5,259 breast feeding mothers, 9,448 postpartum mothers, how have 
recently given birth, and 29,934 infants, and 52,038 children can 
receive the help that they need. One-seventh of the State of Texas' 
683,000 WIC recipients reside in Harris County, TX.
  This program is not as glamorous as others--the WIC program is 
formula, milk, juice, and bread. The majority of those served are poor 
infants and children, those who are most often overlooked. To cut the 
WIC program does not materially reduce the numbers of women, infants 
and children who are in need. This program is one of the best run, most 
efficient and effective programs that the Federal Government has 
initiated.
  According to the Government Accounting Office, for every dollar spent 
on the WIC program the tax payer saves $3.50. This is the reason the 
WIC Program received very strong bi-partisan support throughout its 
history.
  We must continue to support this program. What can be more important 
than making sure our country's children are healthy and safe? I 
strongly support this bill and I encourage my colleagues to support it 
as well.
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3874, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, on that, I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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