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“INTRODUCTION OF THE CHILD NUTRITION AND WIC REAUTHORIZATION AMENDMENTS OF 1998” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E584-E585 on April 2, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
INTRODUCTION OF THE CHILD NUTRITION AND WIC REAUTHORIZATION AMENDMENTS
OF 1998
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HON. MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ
of california
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, April 1, 1998
Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998 on behalf of the Administration. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the Executive Branch has transmitted to the Congress a bill to reauthorize our Child Nutrition programs and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. This legislation is cost-
neutral over five years, simplifies and streamlines program operations, provide access to qualified participants, helps to ensure program integrity and improves food safety. I am happy to sponsor this bill and strongly encourage my colleagues to support it as well.
The Child Nutrition Programs and the WIC Program are absolutely critical to our Nation's future. There is no question of the need to reauthorize the expiring programs and, where we can, improve access, eliminate unnecessary paperwork, and reduce the chance for abuse. I believe the Administration bill moves us toward these goals and is an excellent starting point as we begin our efforts to reauthorize these programs.
Among the many improvements in the legislation, the bill would:
Give authority for an after school program in the Child and Adult Care Food Program for at risk youths between the ages of 12-18; this is a critical provision as so many children need a positive and supportive after school option since the highest instances of juvenile crime occur during the hours immediately following the end of the school day and the dinner hour;
Require schools to make every effort to establish adequate time for kids to eat school lunches in a ``child friendly'' atmosphere ensuring good nutrition;
Authorize Nutrition Education and Training grants based on $.50 per child per year with a minimum of $75,000 per state;
Give authority for USDA to pay for the cost of removing any foods that have been found to be unhealthy or contaminated;
Require that food service operations of participating schools be inspected for health and safety;
Increase the number of sites and children that can be served by non-
profit sponsors in the Summer Food Service Program;
Improve management of the WIC program with changes in how states can manage ``spend forward'' funds and require documentation of income for WIC participants;
Tighten penalties on vendors who violate the rules for participation in the WIC program.
There are a number of other provisions in the bill that I will not discuss at this point, but are designed to improve program operations. On whole, the bill represents a balanced and thoughtful approach to improving the programs at a time when budgets are very tight and tough choices must be made about where to spend our limited resources.
There is one provision of this legislation regarding the WIC program which I cannot support and another for which the Ranking Member and I are concerned. First, the bill would require that the Secretary of Agriculture propose regulations to verify the income of WIC participants. I cannot support this provision because I believe it would drive legitimate recipients out of the program and would add to the administrative burdens on WIC clinics when it is not at all clear that much improvement in accountability would be obtained. Recent testimony before the Education and Workforce Committee reinforces my belief that this provision is not necessary and should not be included in the final bill which Congress sends to the President. Second, the bill would terminate the Secretary's authority to administer the very small segment of child nutrition programs, which certain states do not presently administer for a variety of reasons, at the USDA Regional level. The Ranking Member and I are committed to closely examining this proposal as we proceed through the reauthorization process and ensure that, if enacted, it will not jeopardize the nutritional meals and snacks which children presently receive under these programs.
I am looking forward to working with the Department of Agriculture, and Under Secretary Shirley Watkins, and my colleagues here in the Congress to enact the positive features of this legislation and other beneficial provisions as we work to improve our child nutrition programs through this reauthorization.
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