EARTH DAY NETWORK COMMENDS THE SENATE’S PASSAGE OF CHILD NUTRITION BILL: A SMALL BUT NECESSARY STEP FOR HEALTHIER CHILDREN

For Immediate Release Contact:  Lisa Swann 202 518-0044 ext. 14 [email protected]    

Earth Day Network Commends the Senate’s Passage of Child Nutrition Bill:

 A small but necessary step for healthier children 

Statement of Daniel Brindis, Earth Day Network Director of Policy

“The Senate passed Senator Blanche Lincoln’s Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act with bipartisan support. In the toxic environment in Congress today, Earth Day Network commends the Senator for putting together a proposal that is fully funded and didn’t fall victim to political posturing at the expense of our nation’s schoolchildren. While we applaud Lincoln, the Chair of The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, for expanding and improving the nutritional quality of meals in schools through this legislation, this is only the beginning of much needed reform.” “We call on the House to follow the Senate’s lead and unanimously pass its version before the September 30 deadline. We hope that the final version will be closer to Congressman Miller’s bill which is more ambitious in providing healthier options for our children.” “While the measure raises school meal reimbursement rates by six cents, marking the first raise in 30 years, the rate is substantially below what is needed to serve healthy, fresh meals ($1.50 per meal). This bill should mandate that at least 50 percent of federally-reimbursed monies for the National School Lunch Program be allocated toward actual food purchases so that 70 percent of food served is minimally processed and more fruits and vegetables are included. Nutrition education should also be required for food service managers and students.” “There is a childhood obesity crisis in this country and the nation needs ambitious action to address the underlying policies that lead this health epidemic and increase healthcare costs.” “As a national and international leader in environmental education and green schools,    Earth Day Network is committed to creating a comprehensive healthy school environment for the over 55 million school children in the U.S. Earth Day Network’s school lunch reform campaign is built on the principle that every student regardless of income should have the opportunity to eat nutritious foods that enhance, instead of inhibit, their ability to learn. As part of this campaign, Earth Day Network organized expert briefings and testified in the U.S. Senate, created a nationally-publicized documentary film, Lunch, which investigates the school lunch program, and launched a nationwide school garden program to help connect students with healthy food.” “We are beginning to set American children on a path of healthy eating and healthy living at a time when approximately 22 percent of the nation’s children lack access to quality food and one in three children are overweight or obese. Over 32 million children rely on federal child nutrition programs, and this vote commences the federal effort to finally improve our nation’s school nutrition program.” Find out more at www.supporthealthyschools.org. About Earth Day Network Earth Day Network was founded on the premise that all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment. Our mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable environment. We pursue our mission through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer activism campaigns. Our campaign and programs are predicated on the belief that an educated, energized population will take action to secure a healthy future for itself and its children. Earth Day Network has a global reach with a network of more than 20,000 partners and organizations in 190 countries. Earth Day Network is a 501(c)3 organization located in Washington, D.C.  

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