Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. Chair, I have the honor of not only sitting on the Committee on Agriculture but also of sitting on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, so I know very well how important healthy, hunger-free children are to a good education system.

On top of already harmful policies, the Conaway manager's amendment compromises the current science-based nutrition standards in Federal schools meals programs. By politicizing and legislating nutrition standards, this amendment, if adopted, will further threaten the school meals programs upon which millions of children rely.

The USDA updated the current standards based on rigorous, evidence- based processes, as required by the last bipartisan Child Nutrition Reauthorization. These standards rely on expert, nonpartisan recommendations. Research shows that children are now eating 16 percent more vegetables and 23 percent more fruit at lunch. Further, according to a poll by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 97 percent of Americans support the National School Nutrition Standards and 86 percent say the School Nutrition Standards should stay or be strengthened.

There is simply no reason to depart from science-based and evidence- based standards. We should not compromise on what is best for our children. That is why the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, and others oppose rolling back the standards. I urge my colleagues to oppose these efforts that would further threaten the health of our Nation's children and students.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

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