Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which would reauthorize child nutrition programs including the National School Lunch Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. As a co-chair of the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus, I have worked to promote physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle for our nation's children. Physical activity and nutrition are key factors in staying healthy and avoiding chronic illness. Because good health habits begin in childhood, this legislation will go a long way in preventing many chronic diseases. This bill, which is fully offset, provides greatly needed improvements to our country's child nutrition programs in school and child care settings. This legislation will increase program enrollment and make it easier for low-income children to access benefits. This measure also contains the most significant improvements to these programs in more than 30 years in order to reduce childhood hunger and obesity. I am also pleased that this legislation establishes national nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools throughout the day-- an area in which Rhode Island has led. With 79,000 Rhode Island children participating in the National School Lunch Program and 26,000 participating in the School Breakfast Program, S.…”