Last June, many of you wrote letters urging Congress to reauthorize the Childhood Nutrition Act of 2010, which funds school breakfast and lunch programs, summer feeding programs, and WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children). Re-authorization is important to expand access and improve the programs. The following is a progress update from the Neighbors Committee.
- The Senate Agricultural Committee approved—with a bipartisan vote—The Integrity and Access Act in January 2016. This bill provided increased access and important new resources to fight childhood hunger.
- In April 2016, a partisan bill, Improving Child Nutrition Act of 2016, was released by the House. According to our PC(USA) Office of Public Witness, this bill would reduce access to school meals and fails to address summer programs. It urges the committee to reconsider this legislation in order to expand access and participation.
Advocacy is needed to ensure a strong final child-nutrition bill in 2016. Our Washington office asks everyone to contact their representative and urge them to strengthen the House bill by increasing investments in children’s nutrition.