Jeff Bingaman: “this amendment I described earlier today, but let me describe it briefly again because it is very straightforward. Each…”

“this amendment I described earlier today, but let me describe it briefly again because it is very straightforward. Each year, when the administration sends the Congress its budget request for the Department of Agriculture, it asks for $10 million for nutrition education. It is the Team Nutrition programs sponsored by the Department of Agriculture. This is funding that goes to 21 States to try to assist them in providing nutrition education in the schools. The other 29 States get no funds. My State gets no funds because there is not enough being appropriated. This program cannot cover more than the 21 States that are currently covered. So the children in my State do not get the benefit of this nutrition activity. Why is nutrition education an important issue for this Congress and this country at this time in our history? I would suggest that the best case for explaining that is set out in this letter which I received from the American Heart Association endorsing the amendment that I am offering on behalf of myself and Senator Lugar. Senator Lugar is the cosponsor of my amendment. I ask unanimous consent that this letter be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: American Heart Association, American Stroke Association, September 21, 2005.…”