Updated April 2, 2004

Child Nutrition Reauthorization

H.R. 3873
ACTION NEEDED | Analysis
House Reauthorization Timeline

Budget Update & Action
Budget Update | ACTION NEEDED

April 2, 2004: Click here for FRAC's Spring Recess Alert

The Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act, HR 3873, will be taken to the House floor under suspension of the rules on Wednesday, March 24. This will allow for approximately 40 minutes of debate prior to a simple up or down recorded vote on the legislation. FRAC will be putting out a press release upon completion of the House floor vote on Wednesday. We will be urging the Senate to follow suit and work on a bill quickly in order for child nutrition reauthorization to be completed this year.

As you know, three provisions are due to expire on March 31. We understand that a simple continuing resolution is being crafted that will extend these programs likely through the end of May, to ensure uninterrupted service.

On March 10th, the House Education and the Workforce Committee approved (by an unprecedented 42-0 vote), H.R. 3873, "The Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act." During the coming week the legislation will need to get its final cost estimates ("scores") in order to finalize the bill and move it forward for a vote on the House floor. Important Note: Provisions contained in the legislation (and in this summary) are subject to change, based upon final cost estimates.

To view the legislation, click here. A summary of the changes adopted by the House Education and the Workforce Committee on March 10th is below. We hope to have a complete section-by-section analysis of the total bill in the coming days.

The only recorded vote (other than final passage of the legislation), was on an amendment sponsored by Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), which would have given the USDA Secretary the authority to regulate foods sold anywhere on campus throughout the school day and would have authorized a study by the National Academy of Sciences regarding revisions to the definition of 'foods of minimal nutritional value' (FMNV). Within a year the Secretary would have had to issue regulations to revise the definition of FMNV. After much debate and discussion, the amendment failed, 18-25, mostly along party lines with only Rep. Denise Majette (D-GA) voting with Republicans against the study.

Action Needed on H.R. 3873

Click here for FRAC's Spring Recess Alert

ANALYSIS of H.R. 3873

Click here for FRAC's section-by-section analysis of H.R. 3873 as passed by the House on March 24.

House Reauthorization Timeline

Tuesday, March 2, 2004: Education Reform Subcommittee chairman Mike Castle (R-DE) introduces H.R. 3873, "The Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act." Click here to view the committee's press release on the legislation.

Thursday, March 4, 2004: Subcommittee Markup of H.R. 3873, "The Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act." 10:15am, 2175 Rayburn House Office Building. LIVE WEBCAST

Wednesday, March 10, 2004: Full Committee Markup of H.R. 3873, "The Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act." 10:30am, 2175 Rayburn House Office Building. LIVE WEBCAST

Wednesday, March 24, 2004: House Passes H.R. 3873 by an overwhelming bipartisan majority (419-5). Click here for FRAC's response to the passage. Click here for text of the bill as passed on the floor.

Budget Update

In the early hours of March 12, by a vote of 51-45, the Senate passed H. Con. Res 95, the Senate Budget Resolution. Included in the Resolution was an amendment by Sens. Dole ( R-NC) and Leahy (D-VT) that includes "instructions to seek funding" (for 5 years) to increase the free meals category from 130 to 140 percent of poverty. The Senate also adopted a Sense of the Senate amendment by Sen. Lugar (R-IN), which instructs the Senate Agriculture Committee to seek funding to expand the Lugar Summer Food Pilots to all states and all sponsors (at a cost of $15 million in FY2005 and $127 million from FY 2005-2009). Note: the authorizing committee (Senate Agriculture Committee) retains the authority to make all final determinations on policy and spending decisions.

Attention now turns to the House Budget Committee which is currently developing its Budget Resolution. Although the Chairman's Budget is not yet available, it is rumored that funds for expiring child nutrition program provisions will be included in the Chairman's budget request. This would include funding for three provisions: 1) CACFP for-profit eligibility; 2) military housing exclusion for purposes of determining free and reduced price eligibility; and 3) current 14 state Lugar summer food pilots.

House Budget Action Needed

Message to the House Budget Committee:

Contact your Members of Congress, and especially Members of the House Budget Committee, and urge them to follow the Senate Budget Resolution assumptions:

• 1) funding for the three expiring child nutrition programs (see above);
• 2) expansion of the Lugar summer pilots to all states and all sponsors; and
• 3) funding for the Shays bill (H.R. 3441), which would allow free meal eligibility to go from 130% to 140% of poverty.

**At present, using the Senate Budget Resolution as a base is the most effective way to achieve any new funding for child nutrition program improvements and expansions in the House Budget Resolution.

Click here to return to FRAC's Child Nutrition Reauthorization website.

Factsheets on Child Nutrition Programs School Breakfast  |  School Lunch  |  Afterschool  |  Summer Food Women, Infants, and Children  |  Child and Adult Care Food Program

Prepared by the Food Research & Action Center, 1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009; 202-986-2200; www.frac.org