House plans to send child nutrition bill to President Obama
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Discussion PolicyThursday, December 2, 2010; 12:01 PM
Congress is heading toward final action Thursday on legislation that would enable more poor children to receive free meals at school, raise the nutritional quality of cafeteria fare, and reduce the junk food and sugary beverages sold in school vending machines.
The bill, which cleared the Senate in the summer, is set for final House approval Thursday afternoon if Democrats can, as expected, overcome proceduralroadblocks thrown up by Republicans.
The bill, a priority for President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, would boost spending on child nutrition $4.5 billion over 10 years and raise federal reimbursements for school lunches more than the inflation rate for the first time since 1973. It also would require for the first time that free drinking water be available where meals are served.
The bill accelerates the budding healthy-food movement in public education - think whole wheat pizza, with lowfat cheese and low-sodium sauce - but leaves unanswered key questions about whether schools can afford to give tens of millions of students better meals.
Democrats took steps to offset the bill's costs, including a $2.2 billion cut to food stamp
