[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9518 of October 7, 2016

National School Lunch Week, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Seventy years ago, President Harry Truman signed the National School
Lunch Act, declaring ``Nothing is more important in our national life
than the welfare of our children, and proper nourishment comes first in
attaining this welfare.'' This Act created the National School Lunch
Program and provided lunch to 7 million children in its first year--
today, more than 30 million children depend on it each day. As we
observe the 70th anniversary of this program, we recommit to ensuring
access to proper nutrition throughout the school day for all our young
people so that they may pursue their education and chase their dreams.
Since the beginning of my Administration, I have worked to build on the
legacy of the National School Lunch Program. In 2010, the Congress
passed and I signed into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act,

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which increased the number of students who could get subsidized or free
school meals and improved the quality of school meals. For children from
low-income households, meals provided by the National School Lunch
Program and the School Breakfast Program may be their only reliable
source of nutrition throughout the day. We are working to increase
access for more children, including by using Medicaid data to
automatically connect eligible students in need to free or reduced-
priced meals.
During the school year, nearly 22 million children receive free and
reduced-price school meals. When school is out for the summer, well over
2 million children rely on the Summer Food Service Program for
nourishment. However, too many kids still lack access to adequate
nutrition during the summer months, which is why I proposed investing
$12 billion in my latest budget to provide supplemental summer food
benefits to children who receive free and subsidized school meals during
the academic year.
We must also work to give children greater access to nutritious foods
and empower them to make healthy choices. Too many young people are
obese or overweight and remain at risk for health problems like diabetes
or heart disease later in life. First Lady Michelle Obama has championed
efforts to build healthy futures for all children, particularly through
the Let's Move! initiative, which has worked to provide healthier meals
in our schools and ensure every family has access to healthy, affordable
food. The Department of Agriculture updated school nutrition standards
to make sure all school meals and snacks meet science-based nutrition
criteria, and almost all schools participating in the National School
Lunch Program are meeting these standards.
In order for our children to join the most prepared and educated
workforce in the world, we must remember the connection between what our
kids eat and how well they perform in school. During National School
Lunch Week, let us reaffirm our dedication to helping America's
daughters and sons succeed by guaranteeing they have access to the
healthy meals they need. Let us express our gratitude for the school
nutrition professionals, educators, and administrators who are helping
deliver the promise of a bright future to schoolchildren across America
each day.
The Congress, by joint resolution of October 9, 1962 (Public Law 87-
780), as amended, has designated the week beginning on the second Sunday
in October each year as ``National School Lunch Week'' and has requested
the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim October 9 through October 15, 2016, as
National School Lunch Week. I call upon all Americans to join the
dedicated individuals who administer the National School Lunch Program
in appropriate activities that support the health and well-being of our
Nation's children.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the

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Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.
BARACK OBAMA