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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Obama Signs Child Nutrition Bill

The Washington Post (12/14, Henderson) reports, that President Obama on Monday signed into law the child nutrition bill, "capping months of advocacy by the first lady as part of her efforts to reduce childhood obesity." The legislation "will expand the number of children in school lunch programs by 115,000, increase the reimbursement rate to school districts for meals by six cents, and replace the junk food available outside the cafeteria, such as in vending machines, with more healthful options."


 

The Los Angeles Times (12/14, Muskal) reports that "the bill reauthorizes the federal nutrition program, a $4.5-billion measure that expands free school meals for the needy." First Lady Michelle Obama with regard to the bill, "We can agree that in the wealthiest nation on earth, all children should have the basic nutrition they need to learn and grow. ... Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our children. Nothing."


 

USA Today (12/14) reports that when he signed the new law at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Washington, D.C., "President Obama paid joking tribute to its most prominent supporter: first lady Michelle Obama. 'Not only am I very proud of the bill,' the president said, 'but had I not been able to get this passed, I would be sleeping on the couch.'"


 

CNN (12/14) also quotes the President as saying that "the bill is about 'giving our kids the healthy futures they deserve. ... Right now across the country too many kids don't have access to school meals.'" He added that "even when they do...too often the meals aren't sufficiently nutritious."


 

Education Week (12/14) reports that "part of the child-nutrition law has been paid for through a $2 billion cut to the nation's food-stamp program, an offset opposed by advocacy groups like the Food Research and Action Center in Washington and the School Nutrition Association, a coalition of school food-service directors based in Oxon Hill, Md." The groups say, however, that the administration has assured them that it "will work to recover funds for food stamps, which is the largest nutrition program administered by the Agriculture Department." AFP (12/14), the Grand Rapids Press (12/14, Murray), the Seattle Times (12/14), the New York Daily News (12/14, Bazinet), the MSNBC (12/14) "First Read" blog, and the PBS (12/14, Devore) "NewsHour" blog also cover the story.

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