The Senators say:
Despite a demonstrated history of effectiveness, there are very clear and pressing needs that warrant a significant investment of federal resources in federal child nutrition programs. First, deteriorating economic conditions and rising food insecurity and child hunger make it imperative that additional steps be taken to increase access to these programs by eligible children. Second, the child nutrition programs must do a better job at responding to the problem of poor nutrition and childhood obesity among our nation's children, as well as the resulting chronic disease. In addition, a robust reauthorization of federal child nutrition programs is consistent with anticipated Congressional efforts at comprehensive reform of the health system in the United States.
Did you see that last sentence? They acknowledge that improving child nutrition is key to the overall health care reform needed in the U.S.
Sen. Harkin added:
The child nutrition legislation is a tremendous opportunity to make sure the food America's children consume at school [is] more nutritious, properly balanced and healthful. A serious effort at health reform this year needs to put prevention front and center and a strong, forward-looking child nutrition bill is a key part of that effort. But we can only capitalize on this opportunity if Congress has the funding necessary. I look forward to working with [the new Administration] to make these investments a reality.
Senators who signed on:
| D's | R's | Tom Harkin
Patrick Leahy
Herb Kohl
Debbie Stabenow
Bob Casey
Sherrod Brown
Chuck Schumer
John Kerry
Russ Feingold
Amy Klobuchar
Richard Durbin
Jack Reed
Carl Levin
Evan Bayh
Ted Kennedy
Barbara Boxer
Tim Johnson
Maria Cantwell
Blanche Lincoln
Daniel Akaka
Ron Wyden
Frank Lautenberg
Byron Dorgan
Sheldon Whitehouse
Max Baucus
Jeff Merkley
Chris Dodd
Bill Nelson
Mary Landrieu
Barbara Mikulski
Patty Murray
Daniel Inouye
Jeff Bingaman
Kay Hagan
Jeanne Shaheen | Richard Lugar
Susan Collins
Orrin Hatch
Independents
Joe Lieberman
Bernie Sanders |
Legislative Update
Several of our friendly Congresscritters have already introduced bills related to food. Here's what we got (information taken from the Foodlinks America newsletter):
The Pregnant Women Support Act (H.R.605 and S.270): Introduced again by Representative Lincoln Davis (D-TN) and six bipartisan cosponsors in the House and Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) in the Senate, would address counseling, health, and parental supports for new parents, including increased support for the WIC Program. This is essentially a pro-life bill that aims to reduce abortions by extending support to pregnant women instead of by banning abortion. It seems like good policy, if it truly supports pregnant women without denying them any options for handling unwanted pregnancies.
The Rural Revitalization Act (S.323): Introduced by Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) and two cosponsors, would designate funds for infrastructure, nutrition, housing, and health needs, including supplemental funding of $100 million for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), $50 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), $15 million for TEFAP infrastructure grants, and $445 million for the WIC Program.
Food Stamp News
According to TEFAP Alliance:
Need, unemployment keep participation at near record levels: November 2008 participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was the second highest monthly total in the history of the Food Stamp/SNAP Program at 31,097,201 individuals. Only September 2008 at 31.59 million people was greater. Continued increases in unemployment and sliding wages will likely propel SNAP enrollment to new record levels in the coming months.
A new study by Tufts University found that families on food stamps buy more food to eat at home, compared to families with similar income levels who eat more at restaurants or purchase more prepared meals. That's good news for health, since "Almost any kind of cooking you can produce in a kitchen is healthier than fast food."
Lead author Park Wilde, a food economist at Tufts said, "Surprisingly, the spending differences between participants and comparable non-participants showed up across a range of income levels. One explanation may be that SNAP participants acknowledge the program's purpose and feel obligated to increase their food spending substantially even if their benefit level is small. Even beyond their program benefits, these participants tend to spend their own income on store-bought food."
Another report by the USDA, "Putting Healthy Food Within Reach (PDF)," found that the number of stores authorized to participate in food stamps (a.k.a. SNAP) increased 5.7% in 2008 over 2007. These retailers breakdown as follows:
Grocery/Supermarket: 46.8%
Small Grocery Store: 16,569
Medium Grocery Store: 10,633
Large Grocery Store: 3,469
Combination Grocery/Other: 30,320
Supermarket: 20,976
Specialty: 7%
Bakery Specialty: 4,019
Fruits/Veg Specialty: 1,503
Meat/Poultry Specialty: 4,635
Seafood Specialty: 2,053
Places That Sell Crap: 43.4%
Convenience Store: 61,968
Super Store: 14,012
Farmers Markets: 0.4%
Farmers' Market: 753
Other: 2.4%
Communal Dining Facility: 495
Delivery Route: 805
Drug and/or Alcohol Treatment Program: 1,050
Group Living Arrangement: 461
Homeless Meal Provider: 149
Meal Delivery Service: 270
Non-Profit Food buying Co-op: 359
Private Restaurant/Meal Delivery: 477
Senior Citizens' Center/Residential Building: 72
Shelter for Battered Women and Children: 26
Wholesaler: 20
For more info, check out USDA reports here and here, and an article in the February 2009 issue of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics here. |
