[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 11953-11954]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CHILD NUTRITION REAUTHORIZATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TERRI A. SEWELL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 26, 2017

  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to express my 
strong support for reauthorization of the Child Nutrition 
Reauthorization Act (CNR). Every 5 years, we are provided with an 
opportunity to strengthen child nutrition and school meal programs so 
they meet the nutrition needs of our children. The last time we 
reauthorized Child Nutrition programs was in 2010 when President Obama 
signed the Health, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. This Act included a 
number of improvements to the quality of school food and created a 
national afterschool meal program, in addition to several other 
positive provisions that have helped to address food insecurity since 
its passage. That law expired in 2015. Financial problems plaguing the 
CNR cannot be addressed unless Congress takes decisive action in 
reforming this legislation.
  The issues of food insecurity and nutrition in this country impact 
far too many families. According to the USDA, 13 percent of American 
households are food insecure. Families in my district are 
disproportionately affected by food insecurity. For example, this 
inadequate access to food is a stark reality for individuals in Wilcox 
County, where thirty-three percent of the population has uncertain 
access to food. In Dallas, Greene and Sumter Counties, the food 
insecurity rate is higher than 29 percent.
  Most troubling, though, is the alarming percentage of children in my 
district affected by the issue of food scarcity. In Tuscaloosa, 23 
percent of children faced food scarcity in 2016. Furthermore, sixty-six 
percent of students in Tuscaloosa City Schools rely on free or reduced 
lunch programs. For these children, federal programs provide essential 
nutrition that they would not otherwise have access to.
  Hunger can have serious, harmful effects on a child's health and 
ability to learn. Childhood hunger is associated with behavioral, 
attention, academic, and emotional problems. These struggles can lead 
to lower test scores, higher levels of school failure, other 
potentially lifelong health problems, and learning deficits. 
Prioritizing this issue is necessary to revitalize the crucial 
nutrition programs that many children in this country rely on. We 
cannot afford to leave our most vulnerable citizens without access to 
the proper resources they need in order to thrive and contribute to our 
society. That is why I am urging Congress to take action and renew the 
Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act.

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