DENNIS A. CARDOZA: “I rise today as Congress considers the H.R. 3873 Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act to continue to advocate…”

“I rise today as Congress considers the H.R. 3873 Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act to continue to advocate for achieving greater nutritional benefits for the children and needy of the United States. However, first I must commend the Committee on Education and the Workforce for making important structural improvements in federal child nutrition programs in the bill we are considering on the floor today. H.R. 3873 will eliminate barriers to participation for low-income children and families in Federal feeding programs and will ensure greater access to critical nutrition programs. This bill also provides for an important pilot program to be implemented within the Women, Infant, and Children's (WIC) program to allow participants greater access to nutritionally valuable fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, I believe that the Committee has missed an important opportunity to address a national health epidemic facing our nation's children: the dramatic rise in childhood obesity. Obesity has recently become the leading cause of death among Americans. Furthermore, commitment to a healthy lifestyle begins at a young age and particularly among disadvantaged Americans. School feeding and other nutrition programs, often provide the only opportunities for the consumption of healthy foods.”