Action Alert - Child Nutrition Act

The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food is asking us to call Congress today to get the legislation governing the school lunch program passed. The Child Nutrition Act authorizes the school lunch program and expires at the end of Sept. Thanks to hard by groups like these, there is more money for school meals and better nutritional standards in the new legislation -- but the House needs to vote on their version of the bill.

Here are more details from their website:

The Senate passed their Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) bill August 5th by unanimous consent. The bill contains $4.5 billion for child nutrition over the next 10 years (this is just 6 cents per meal extra per day, and that is not enough!) Now we need to build momentum for the House to pass their version upon return in September, which will be just two weeks before the bill is set to expire.Unexpectedly, the Senate cut $2.2 billion from SNAP (Food Stamps) in order to pay for the child nutrition bill. We oppose funding cuts from SNAP to pay for the CNR.

SNAP, although not a school or child care based program, is important to achieving the goals for all children to have easy access to healthy food. We are disappointed to see this shift of resources from one vital nutrition program to another, and we have registered that disappointment with our Senators.

I urge you to share your opinion today, with Senator Gillibrand (202) 224-4451 and Senator Schumer 202-224-6542 (if you are from New York State). You can thank them for moving this bill, voice concerns about the funding level and source of the funding (the SNAP/Food Stamps), and share any perspective you have. This is really the last opportunity you will have to have your Senators attention on this bill now that it's passed in the Senate. I urge you to take this opportunity to weigh in about their decisions. For more information you can read Senator Gillibrand's press release.

There is still time to influence House action on CNR and impact the funding and content of the bill. The House version of CNR invests $8 billion in child nutrition programs (instead of $4.5 billion) and has not targeted other nutrition programs to pay for it. PLEASE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY to contact your Representative and ask that they fully fund and pass HR 5504, the Improving Nutrition For America's Children Act, when they return from recess in September, and that they do so without cutting funds from other nutrition programs. Please call your Representative today and ask them to pass the House version with AT LEAST $8 billion in funding, without taking money from SNAP (Food Stamps). Click here for phone numbers. (Note that once you enter your zip code and address, you will be provided with a link to your Senators' and Representative’s contact information.) Please also ask that they include the provisions of H.R. 4870 in the bill, to pilot plant-based commodity foods.

This message to the House is truly important. Again, the Senate bill makes only half the investment in child nutrition and cuts SNAP (Food Stamps) to do so. We want the stronger House bill to move forward.

Thank you again for your support for child nutrition. Let's hope we start the new year with at least an $8 billion bill and other vital nutrition programs intact!

New York Residents*, call:

Senator Kirstin Gillibrand: 202-224-4451 (Washington, DC) and 212-688-6262 (NY) - to thank and express concerns
Senator Charles Schumer: 202-224-6542 (Washington, DC) and 212-486-4430 (NY) - to thank and express concerns
Your Congress Person: (for NYS or other states) : Click for phone number and to email - to urge to pass at least $8 billion in funding, without taking money from other important food programs, and include provisions of H.R. 4870 in the bill.

After you call, please follow up with an email letter to your Senators and Congressperson. We want to flood their telephone lines and email boxes!
You can see a sample letter here. You can get the email address or contact forms for your Senators or Congress Person by clicking on the links above.

When you are done doing this be sure to share this link with all of your friends, relatives, and colleagues who care about this issue. Please also email us by clicking here to let us know you called.

We are part of a strong coalition called the NYC Alliance for Child Nutrition Authorization. Check out their website for a much more thorough review of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act.

So that you don't need to look it up - our representative is Congressman Peter King at 202-225-7896

Sara