[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 27120-27121]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




REAUTHORIZING CERTAIN SCHOOL LUNCH AND CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS FOR FY 
                                  2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. ADAM H. PUTNAM

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 28, 2003

  Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Speaker, as the House takes action to extend 
authorization of School Lunch and Child Nutrition Programs, I wish to 
take this opportunity to raise an important issue relating to achieving 
greater nutritional benefits for the children of this nation.
  Today we face a continuing challenge in improving the quality of the 
American diet, particularly among our nation's children as we see an 
alarming increase in obesity that leads to coronary heart disease, 
cancer, stroke and diabetes. As Congress considers comprehensive reform 
of School Lunch and Child Nutrition Programs in the near future, it is 
imperative that federal nutrition services provide the fundamental 
tools to promote lasting health through sound nutritional choices.
  The U.S. Surgeon General reports that fruit, juice and vegetable 
consumption are a central part of a commitment toward better health and

[[Page 27121]]

provide protective effects from most cancers, heart disease and 
obesity. Unfortunately, most children and adults do not meet the 
recommended guidelines of five servings a day of fruit and vegetables, 
with only 15 percent of elementary students and a quarter of adults 
consuming the recommended requirement. Unbelievably, one of our major 
nutrition programs, the Women's, Infants and Children's (WIC) program, 
does not even allow participants access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
  The Healthy America Act (H.R. 2592), bi-partisan nutrition 
legislation that I have sponsored, is aimed at promoting better health 
and the prevention of chronic diseases by expanding and enhancing 
policies that encourage the consumption of fruits, vegetables and 
juices in schools and in the WIC program. Particularly among needy 
Americans, school feeding and other nutrition programs often provide 
the primary opportunities for consumption of nutritionally valuable 
foods. This legislation would provide students and WIC participant's 
greater access to fruits, vegetables, and juices in federal feeding 
programs and expand the extremely successful Fruit and Vegetable Pilot 
Program nationwide.
  Current federal nutrition guidelines also must be revised so that 
they are consistent with current dietary and nutritional science for 
some of the neediest Americans, including expectant and nursing 
mothers, infants and children. The WIC program is nearly 30 years old 
and has changed little during that time. The Healthy America Act would 
require that dietary guidelines be revised regularly in keeping with 
modern dietary science and allow WIC participants access to fresh 
fruits and vegetables currently prohibited under the program.
  As Congress continues to consider long-term reauthorization of Child 
Nutrition and School Lunch Programs in the coming year, I urge adoption 
of these critical provisions in the Healthy America Act to give the 
children of this nation the access to nutritional benefits they 
deserve.