The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“NUTRITION EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1862-E1863 on Sept. 30, 1996.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
NUTRITION EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM
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HON. WILLIAM F. GOODLING
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Saturday, September 28, 1996
Mr. GOODLING. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation which provide funds for the Nutrition Education and Training Program [NET].
Enactment of this legislation is necessary to remedy a glitch in the funding of this program resulting from the enactment of the welfare reform bill. Since the 103d Congress, NET has been a mandatory spending program. The Appropriations Committee funded it as such for fiscal year 1997. However, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act modified current law to once again categorize NET as a discretionary spending program. Since mandatory funds cannot be used to fund a discretionary program, NET is currently without a funding source for fiscal year 1997.
This legislation provides a total of $7.5 million in funding for the Nutrition Education and Training Program, to be derived equally from the School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children and the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Act. As my colleagues are probably aware, questions have arisen regarding the operation of the Team Nutrition Program by the Department of Agriculture. In addition, there are carryover funds which can be used for Team Nutrition activities for the upcoming fiscal year. As such, I feel it is more than appropriate to transfer $3.75 million in funds from the Team Nutrition Program to the Nutrition Education Program.
Mr. Speaker, while the Nutrition Education and Training Program receives a minimal amount of funding, schools throughout the country use these dollars to promote healthy eating habits among our Nation's children.
In Pennsylvania, for example, funds are used to publish posters and other materials related to the dietary guidelines and the food pyramid. In addition, these dollars are used by the State to purchase items they can't buy with their State administrative funds, to train school food service personnel, and for the development of healthy meal menus and recipe guides. All of their NET funds go to kids and teachers.
Organizations, including the American School Food Service Association, the Food Research and Action Center, the National School Boards Association, the National PTA, Public Voice for Food and Health Policy, and the Association of State and Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors, have written to Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman requesting that he take whatever action is necessary to ensure local funding for NET. He cannot effectively respond to this request without our assistance.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in amending the law to provide finding to the Nutrition Education and Training Program. This program is too important to allow it go without funding in the upcoming fiscal year.
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