"Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004"

President Bush signed the bill into law on Wednesday, June 30, 2004. Bill text as passed in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives: 170 pages (full "Cochran substitute") - free pdf file reading software More information about nutrition programs

• protection of the integrity of school meal program benefits

• participation of for-profit child care centers in the Child and Adult Care Food Program

• protection of school meal benefits for military families

• expansion of the Summer Food Service Program Lugar Pilots

• expansion of the Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program

• improvements to the WIC Program

"This bill reflects the commitment of the Committee to ensure that our nation’s children have access to the nutrition they need to lead a healthy life. All of the worthwhile and important initiatives contained in this bill will play a significant part in ensuring that our children have access to good nutrition” - Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), Committee Chairman

• Programs authorized in the bill touch the lives of 1 out of every 5 people in the United States, including over 37 million children and nearly 2 million lower-income pregnant and postpartum women.

• According to the Congressional Research Service, total fiscal year 2004 spending for these programs will be an estimated $16.4 billion, and the Administration’s fiscal year 2005 budget anticipates spending $16.85 billion.

• The Budget Committees of both the Senate and House have included new mandatory money that will enable continuation of otherwise expiring provisions contained in current law.

Broad Support
The bipartisan, consensus-based bill has received support that includes the American Dietetic Association, the American School Food Service Association, America’s Second Harvest, the Food Research and Action Center, National Council of La Raza, Bread for the World, the National Milk Producers Federation, the International Dairy Foods Association, and the National Food Processors Association.

In a statement introducing the bill to the Senate, Cochran thanked Iowa Senator Tom Harkin for his assistance and for continuing the long-standing tradition of a bipartisan approach to the development of child nutrition bills in the Committee.

Earlier Preparation:
In 2003, the Committee held hearings to prepare in drafting reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.

Opening statements from panelists invited to testify are provided here. free file reading software

Tuesday, March 4, 2003
Public Hearing to review the federal government’s initiatives in support of school lunch and school breakfast

Ms. Gaye Lynn MacDonald, Food/Nutrition Services Manager of Bellingham Public Schools, Bellingham, Washington on behalf of the American School Food Association.

Mr. Robert Greenstein, Executive Director for Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, D.C.

Ms. Susan T. Borra, Immediate Past President of the American Dietetic Association, Washington, D.C.

Mr. Robert J. Kemmery, Jr., Executive Director, Student Support Services, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland

Ms. Melanie Payne, Child Nutrition Director, Opelika, Alabama

Mr. Jerry Kozak, President and Chief Executive Officer,National Milk Producers Federation, Arlington, Virginia on behalf of the National Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association

Mr. Dennis Hieman, Principal, Muscatine High School, Muscatine, Iowa

Thursday, April 3, 2003
Continued review of child nutrition programs (including WIC)

Mr. Eric Bost
Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services
United States Department of Agriculture

Mr. James Weill
President, Food Research and ActionCenter

Mr. Douglas Besharov
Joseph J. and Violet Jacobs Scholar in Social Welfare Studies, American Enterprise Institute
Professor, University of MarylandSchool of Public Affairs

Ms. Jill Leppert
President, National WIC Association of Bismark,North Dakota

Ms. Anne Curry
Vice President, Legislative and Political Affairs
Food Marketing Institute

Ms. Karen Caplan
Freida, Inc. of Los Alamitos,California
(Presenting testimony on behalf of the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association)

Mr. Rod Hofstedt
Executive Director, Adult and Children’s Alliance of St. Paul, Minnesota
(Presenting testimony on behalf of the National CACFP Forum - Child and Adult Care Food Program)

Mr. Don Wambles
President, WIC Farmers Market Association of Montgomery,Alabama