Jim Costa: “I thank the gentlewoman and my classmate for yielding. Mr. Chair, let me speak in favor of this important bipartisan…”

“I thank the gentlewoman and my classmate for yielding. Mr. Chair, let me speak in favor of this important bipartisan legislation. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act is an investment, I believe, in our children's health and future. This proposed legislation, let's be clear, does not change the underlying law. For the 19 years that I have been on the House Agriculture Committee, the school lunch and breakfast program has been and should be a focus of attention by the House of Representatives and the Congress. Why? It is because we provide the support for the school lunch and breakfast programs. And why else? It is because we want our children to have the most nutrition possible from lunch and breakfast. In addition, we want to deal with issues of obesity and issues of allergies. It is important for a healthy future. Now, let me say that I know a little bit about this. My family and I have been involved in the dairy business in California for three generations, since the early 1920s. Dairy plays a critical role in the nutritional diet of children as a leading food source for nutrients that are critical for development and growth. We must provide healthy nutrient-packed options that children will actually choose to consume, ranging from nonfat to whole. Milk provides 13 essential nutrients, as has been mentioned, including three of the four nutrients of public health concern that involve calcium, potassium, and vitamin D.…”