[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 30, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CHILD NUTRITION IMPROVEMENT AND INTEGRITY ACT

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                               speech of

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 24, 2004

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I supported H.R. 3873, the Child 
Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act last week on the House floor 
and again commend Chairman Boehner, Ranking Member Miller, Subcommittee 
Chairman Castle and Ranking Member Woolsey for their hard work and 
collaboration on a bipartisan bill which continues to feed our Nation's 
children.
  However, due to our Nation's budget being in the red, it is 
bothersome that we can not feed more of our Nation's children whose 
parents are hard working Americans. It is bothersome that there are 
children whose families can not even afford the reduced price meals but 
are simply not poor enough to receive free lunch. With over 500 school 
boards and many state boards of education urging Congress to eliminate 
the reduced price charge--Congress has replied with ``we just can not 
afford to help your children eat''.
  It is also bothersome that some in Congress feel that it is 
inappropriate to recommend what foods are healthy and should be given 
to students and what unhealthy foods should be kept off the menu. The 
argument is why would schools attempt to provide healthy foods when 
students can simply get the unhealthy foods outside of school. Should 
our schools begin to give up on a student in the 9th or 10th grade 
because neither parent graduated high school? Should our schools not 
teach a student to read because neither parent is literate nor does the 
home provides newspapers or books to read? Should our schools not teach 
algebra, geometry, or calculus because the parent can only do simply 
math with a calculator?
  Our schools have been the stepping stone to a better life for many 
individuals than the life of which their parents had academically, 
socially, emotionally and there is no reason why nutritionally can not 
be added to the list.
  Mr. Speaker, I supported this reauthorization last week--but only 
wish we could have done more to prevent more children from going 
hungry.

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