[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 58 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5256-S5257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       AMENDING THE RICHARD B. RUSSELL NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 870, introduced earlier 
today by Senators Harkin and Cochran.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 870) to amend the Richard B. Russell National 
     School Lunch Act to extend the availability of funds to carry 
     out the fruit and vegetable pilot program.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, today I join my colleague from 
Mississippi, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry, in support of this bill that would keep fresh 
fruits and vegetables going to over 100 schools throughout the Nation.

[[Page S5257]]

  We hear a great deal about the importance of teaching our children 
good nutrition as well as about the epidemic of obesity and poor eating 
habits among American children. But for all the talk and concern, we do 
far too little about it.
  Last year, I worked with my colleagues to take concrete steps to 
address these issues. Concerned about the fact that many children today 
have only minimal experiences with fresh fruits and vegetables, we 
created a pilot project that provides fresh fruits and vegetables to 
schools in Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and to schools on an Indian 
reservation at Zuni, NM.
  Despite the fact that we know there are many positive benefits 
associated with the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, we 
still fail to do nearly enough to encourage their consumption through 
our Federal nutrition programs. We must do more to encourage their 
purchase in our schools and to promote their consumption on an 
individual level.
  The reports that we are getting back from schools about this program 
are absolutely tremendous. Just last week my staff had a conference 
call with school administrators, parents, and students at Zuni, NM. 
They are almost ecstatic in their praise of the program. The children 
were excited to be able to try foods that they had never had a chance 
to eat before. Parents report that their kids are coming home to them 
and asking them to buy the same fruits and vegetables for the home that 
they eat at school. And school administrators report healthier diets, 
fewer discipline problems, and buy-in from the entire school community. 
Even the janitors love the program.
  Dieticians and school officials in Iowa tell me that, because of the 
fruit and vegetable pilot, their work is more fulfilling now than ever 
before.
  This is a program that we need to expand so that all schools are able 
to participate. As the Senate moves forward with the reauthorization of 
our child nutrition programs this year, I'll be looking at ways that we 
can do this and at ways that we can encourage healthier lifestyles for 
all of our children.
  In the meantime, the bill that I am introducing today allows us to 
extend the current fruit and vegetable pilot for an additional year. 
Because of the short timeframe that we had to actually set up the fruit 
and vegetable pilot, many of the schools were not able to begin their 
participation in the program as quickly as they had hoped. As a result, 
many schools will have funds remaining at the end of the school year. 
They have told me, as has the Department of Agriculture, that they 
would like to use their carryover funds for an additional year. This 
bill simply extends the authorization of the Department of Agriculture 
to continue the program for another year.
  This does not provide any new money. It simply allows the schools to 
carryover current funds into the 2003 school year. The Congressional 
Budget Office has indicated that there is no cost associated with this.
  As evidenced by the concurrence of Senator Cochran, this is a non-
partisan, non-controversial bill, and I urge my colleagues to work with 
me to see that this program is extended before its current 
authorization runs out on June 30 of this year.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill 
be read the third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid 
upon the table, that any statements relating thereto be printed in the 
Record, without intervening action or debate.
  The bill (S. 870) was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                 S. 870

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

     SECTION 1. FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PILOT PROGRAM.

       Section 18(g)(4) of the Richard B. Russell National School 
     Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)(4)) is amended by inserting 
     before the period at the end the following: ``, to remain 
     available until the close of the school year beginning July 
     2003''.

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