S.Amdt. 2221

1. Adds SEC. 42__. TASK FORCE TO PROMOTE NATIONAL SECURITY BY REDUCING CHILDHOOD OBESITY on page 361, between lines 8 and 9

   Adds a sectionPrinted page

   Inserted: SEC. 42__. TASK FORCE TO PROMOTE NATIONAL SECURITY BY REDUCING CHILDHOOD OBESITY.

   Inserted: (a) Findings.--Congress finds that, as of the date of enactment of this Act--

   Inserted: (1) the obesity epidemic has reached a crisis point that threatens the national security of the United States;

   Inserted: (2) in the past 3 decades, obesity rates have quadrupled for children ages 6 to 11;

   Inserted: (3)(A) Department of Defense data indicates that an alarming 75 percent of all young people in the United States ages 17 to 24 are unable to join the military; and

   Inserted: (B) obesity is the leading medical reason why applicants fail to qualify for military service;

   Inserted: (4) in April 2010, more than 100 of the top retired generals, admirals, and senior military leaders in the United States released a report entitled "Too Fat to Fight", which urgently called on Congress to pass new child nutrition legislation that would--

   Inserted: (A) get junk food out of schools; and

   Inserted: (B) support increased funding to improve nutritional standards and the quality of meals served in schools;

   Inserted: (5) in May 2012, the Institute of Medicine released a report entitled "Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation", which called for the establishment of a task force to examine evidence on the relationship between agricultural policy, the diet of the average American, and childhood obesity;

   Inserted: (6) a cooperative national effort by experts in agriculture, security, and health in the form of a scientifically rigorous task force is needed;

   Inserted: (7)(A) properly managed, the school environment can be instrumental in fostering healthful eating habits that will last a lifetime;

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   Inserted: (B) unfortunately, some of the agricultural food and nutrition policies of the United States contribute to the obesity epidemic;

   Inserted: (C) Federal food and nutrition programs are woven into the fabric of the lives of children in the United States;

   Inserted: (D) every day, millions of children buy breakfast, lunch, and snacks in school; and

   Inserted: (E) funding for the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) accounts for nearly 75 percent of the total cost of this Act;

   Inserted: (8) since the enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8701 et seq.), there has been a sea change of interest and focus on the obesity epidemic in the United States;

   Inserted: (9) Congress should have the very best information when making policy decisions; and

   Inserted: (10) establishment of a task force will help to focus on the relationship between agricultural policies and obesity.

   Inserted: (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Task Force established under this section are--

   Inserted: (1) to facilitate the next round of fact-based solutions to the obesity epidemic; and

   Inserted: (2) to build the foundation for evaluating and considering the very best available scientific evidence on the relationship between agriculture policies, the diet of the average American, childhood nutrition, and childhood obesity.

   Inserted: (c) Establishment.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--There is established a task force to be known as the "Task Force to Promote National Security by Reducing Childhood Obesity" (referred to in this section as the "Task Force").

   Inserted: (2) Membership.--

   Inserted: (A) Eligibility.--Members of the Task Force shall--

   Inserted: (i) have specialized training or significant experience in matters under the jurisdiction of the Task Force; and

   Inserted: (ii) represent, at a minimum--

   Inserted: (I) national security interests;

   Inserted: (II) national agricultural interests; and

   Inserted: (III) national health interests.

   Inserted: (B) Composition.--

   Inserted: (i) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed of 15 members, in a manner that ensures fair and balanced representation of the national security, agriculture, and health sectors of the United States.

   Inserted: (ii) Appointment.--As soon as practicable after the date on which funds are first made available to carry out this section, members shall be appointed to the Task Force in accordance with the following requirements:

   Inserted: (I) 1 member shall be--

   Inserted: (aa) appointed by the Secretary to represent the Department of Agriculture; and

   Inserted: (bb) an expert in the field of agricultural policy as that field relates to childhood nutrition and childhood obesity.

   Inserted: (II) 1 member shall be--

   Inserted: (aa) appointed by the Secretary; and

   Inserted: (bb) an expert in the field of nutrition as that field relates to agricultural policy, childhood nutrition, and childhood obesity.

   Inserted: (III) 1 member shall be--

   Inserted: (aa) appointed by the Secretary to represent the Economic Research Service of the Department of Agriculture; and

   Inserted: (bb) an expert in the field of economics as that field relates to agricultural policy, childhood nutrition, and childhood obesity.

   Inserted: (IV) 3 members shall be appointed by the Secretary to represent the private agriculture industry, of whom--

   Inserted: (aa) all shall be experts in the respective fields of the members as those fields relate to agricultural policy, childhood nutrition, and childhood obesity;

   Inserted: (bb) 1 shall be a representative of the fruit and vegetable industry;

   Inserted: (cc) 1 shall be a representative of the grain-growing industry; and

   Inserted: (dd) 1 shall be a representative of the animal food products industry.

   Inserted: (V) 3 members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense to represent the Department of Defense, of whom--

   Inserted: (aa) all shall be experts in national security as that field relates to childhood nutrition and childhood obesity; and

   Inserted: (bb) 1 shall be a current or former senior noncommissioned officer with at least 2 years of experience in the physical training and conditioning of new recruits.

   Inserted: (VI) 2 members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense on the nomination of Mission: Readiness (or a successor entity).

   Inserted: (VII) 1 member shall be--

   Inserted: (aa) appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the nomination of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences; and

   Inserted: (bb) an expert in the field of public health as that field relates to childhood nutrition and childhood obesity.

   Inserted: (VIII) 1 member shall be--

   Inserted: (aa) appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the nomination of the American Academy of Pediatrics; and

   Inserted: (bb) an expert in the field of pediatric public health as that field relates to childhood nutrition and childhood obesity.

   Inserted: (IX) 1 member shall be--

   Inserted: (aa) appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the nomination of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine; and

   Inserted: (bb) an expert in the field of adult public health (as that field relates to childhood nutrition and childhood obesity) that has expertise in leveraging employer resources to improve the health of the children of the employees.

   Inserted: (X) 1 member shall be--

   Inserted: (aa) appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the nomination of the American College of Preventive Medicine; and

   Inserted: (bb) an expert in the field of preventative medicine as that field relates to childhood nutrition and childhood obesity.

   Inserted: (C) Chairperson.--The Secretary shall appoint 1 member of the Task Force to serve as chairperson for the duration of the proceedings of the Task Force.

   Inserted: (D) Vice chairperson.--The Secretary of Defense shall appoint 1 member of the Task Force to serve as vice chairperson for the duration of the proceedings of the Task Force.

   Inserted: (3) Date of appointments.--The appointment of a member of the Task Force shall be made not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

   Inserted: (4) Term; vacancies.--

   Inserted: (A) Term.--A member shall be appointed for the life of the Task Force.

   Inserted: (B) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Task Force--

   Inserted: (i) shall not affect the powers of the Task Force; and

   Inserted: (ii) shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made.

   Inserted: (5) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which all members of the Task Force have been appointed, the Task Force shall hold the initial meeting of the Task Force.

   Inserted: (6) Meetings.--The Task Force shall meet at the call of the Chairperson.

   Inserted: (7) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.

   Inserted: (d) Duties.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Task Force shall evaluate--

   Inserted: (A) the implications of agricultural policies on the diet of the average American and childhood obesity; and

   Inserted: (B) how agricultural policy can be used to reduce childhood obesity to promote national security.

   Inserted: (2) Requirements.--The Task Force shall--

   Inserted: (A) evaluate the evidence on the relationship between agricultural policies of the United States (including agricultural subsidies and the management of commodities) and the diet of the people of the United States, specifically the relationship between agricultural policies and childhood obesity;

   Inserted: (B) consider the current understanding and degree of implementation of using an optimal mix of crops and agricultural production methods so as to meet the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans published under section 301 of the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5341);

   Inserted: (C) develop recommendations for future policy options and policy-related research to address agricultural policies that are identified as potential contributors to childhood obesity;

   Inserted: (D) develop recommendations on how agricultural policy can be used to reduce childhood obesity to promote national security; and

   Inserted: (E) develop recommendations for establishing a formal process by which Federal food, agriculture, national security, and health officials would review and report on the possible implications of agricultural policies of the United States for obesity prevention, to ensure that this issue is fully taken into account each and every time that policymakers consider the Farm Bill reauthorization and other legislation affecting agricultural and nutrition policies.

   Inserted: (3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which all members of the Task Force are appointed, the Task Force shall submit to the Secretaries of Agriculture, Defense, and Health and Human Services, and to the appropriate committees of Congress, a report that contains--

   Inserted: (A) a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Task Force; and

   Inserted: (B) the recommendations of the Task Force for such legislation and administrative actions as the Task Force considers appropriate.

   Inserted: (e) Powers.--

   Inserted: (1) Hearings.--The Task Force may hold such hearings, meet and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Task Force considers advisable to carry out this section.

   Inserted: (2) Information from federal agencies.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--The Task Force may secure directly from a Federal agency such information (other than classified or confidential information) as the Task Force considers necessary to carry out this section.

   Inserted: (B) Provision of information.--On request of the Chairperson of the Task Force, the head of the agency shall provide the information to the Task Force.

   Inserted: (3) Postal services.--The Task Force may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other agencies of the Federal Government.

   Inserted: (f) Task Force Personnel Matters.--

   Inserted: (1) Compensation of members.--

   Inserted: (A) Non-federal employees.--A member of the Task Force who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which the member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Task Force.

   Inserted: (B) Federal employees.--A member of the Task Force who is an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall serve without compensation in addition to the compensation received for the services of the member as an officer or employee of the Federal Government.

   Inserted: (2) Travel expenses.--A member of the Task Force shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an employee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from the home or regular place of business of the member in the performance of the duties of the Task Force.

   Inserted: (3) Staff.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--The Chairperson of the Task Force may, without regard to the civil service laws (including regulations), appoint and terminate an executive director and such other additional personnel as are necessary to enable the Task Force to perform the duties of the Task Force.

   Inserted: (B) Confirmation of executive director.--The employment of an executive director shall be subject to confirmation by the Task Force.

   Inserted: (C) Compensation.--

   Inserted: (i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (ii), the Chairperson of the Task Force may fix the compensation of the executive director and other personnel without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates.

   Inserted: (ii) Maximum rate of pay.--The rate of pay for the executive director and other personnel shall not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.

   Inserted: (4) Detail of federal government employees.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--An employee of the Federal Government may be detailed to the Task Force without reimbursement.

   Inserted: (B) Civil service status.--The detail of the employee shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.

   Inserted: (5) Procurement of temporary and intermittent services.--The Chairperson of the Task Force may procure temporary and intermittent services in accordance with section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals that do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that title.

   Inserted: (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.

   Inserted: (2) Limitation.--No payment may be made under subsection (f) except to the extent provided for in advance in an appropriations Act.

   Inserted: (h) Termination of Task Force.--The Task Force shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the Task Force submits the report of the Task Force under subsection (d)(3).

   Original wording

   On page 361, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:

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As printed