[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 12 (Thursday, February 10, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E111-E112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             LEGISLATION MODIFYING THE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM F. GOODLING

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 10, 2000

  Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, throughout my 25 plus years in Congress, I 
have been a very strong supporter of the school lunch program. It was 
one of the highlights of my career when we passed the William F. 
Goodling Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 1998 last Congress. To 
build upon all the great work we have done, today I am introducing 
legislation to modify the school lunch program to ensure that recent 
cuts made to the program are restored.
  During its history, the National School Lunch Act has not only 
provided nutritious meals to our nation's children, it has assisted the 
agriculture community through commodity purchases.
  The Secretary of Agriculture uses funds authorized by the School 
Lunch Act to purchase entitlement commodities, such as fruits and 
vegetables, which are needed by our nation's schools in order to 
provide balanced meals. In addition, schools receive bonus commodities 
that the Secretary purchases in order to reduce a surplus in the 
marketplace. Both the children and the agriculture community benefit 
from these purchases.
  Since the 103rd Congress, 12 percent of the cost of school lunches 
was to be in the form of agricultural products purchased for schools. 
Last session, this law was modified at the suggestion of the Clinton 
Administration to allow the 12 percent commodity requirement to be met 
through a combination of entitlement and bonus commodities. The savings 
achieved as a result of this revision were used to help fund the Ticket 
to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. As a result, 
schools will be receiving fewer commodities because

[[Page E112]]

bonus commodities will be counted as part of the 12 percent commodity 
requirement rather than as additional commodities over and above this 
requirement. At the same time, purchases of agriculture commodities 
will also be reduced.
  Mr. Speaker, there are no winners here. Schools lose, kids lose, and 
farmers lose. The bill I am introducing today will restore the original 
12 percent commodity requirements and clarify that the only commodities 
to be used to fulfill this requirement are those authorized under the 
School Lunch Act. The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement 
Act of 1999 should not have been funded at the expense of an important 
program like the School Lunch Act.
  For our children, our schools and our farmers, I encourage my 
colleagues to support this legislation.

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