[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2183 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2183
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to create team nutrition
networks to promote the nutritional health of school children.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 9, 2004
Mr. Bingaman (for himself, Mr. Lugar, and Mr. Dodd) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to create team nutrition
networks to promote the nutritional health of school children.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Early Attention To Nutrition (EATN)
Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are
responsible for \2/3\ of deaths in the United States;
(2) the major risk factors for those diseases and
conditions are established in childhood through unhealthy
eating habits, physical inactivity, obesity, and tobacco use;
(3) obesity rates have doubled in children and tripled in
adolescents over the last 2 decades;
(4) today, 1 in 7 young people are obese, and 1 in 3 are
overweight;
(5) obese children are twice as likely as nonobese children
to become obese adults;
(6) an overweight condition and obesity can result in
physical, psychological, and social consequences, including
heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, decreased self-
esteem, and discrimination;
(7) only 2 percent of children consume a diet that meets
the 5 main recommendations for a healthy diet from the Food
Guide Pyramid published by the Secretary of Agriculture;
(8) 3 out of 4 high school students in the United States do
not eat the recommended 5 or more servings of fruits and
vegetables each day; and
(9) 3 out of 4 children in the United States consume more
saturated fat than is recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans published by the Secretary of Agriculture.
SEC. 3. TEAM NUTRITION NETWORK GRANTS.
Section 19 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1788) is
amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 19. TEAM NUTRITION NETWORK GRANTS.
``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
``(1) to promote the nutritional health of school children
through nutrition education and other activities that support
healthy lifestyles for children;
``(2) to provide grants to States for the development of
statewide, comprehensive, and integrated nutrition education
programs; and
``(3) to provide training and technical assistance to
States, school and community nutrition programs, and child
nutrition food service professionals.
``(b) Definition of Team Nutrition Network.--In this section, the
term `team nutrition network' means a multidisciplinary program to
promote healthy eating to children based on scientifically valid
information and sound educational, social, and marketing principles.
``(c) Grants.--The Secretary is authorized to make grants to State
educational agencies to promote the nutritional health of school
children through the establishment of team nutrition networks.
``(d) Allocation.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2) and subsections
(g) and (h), the Secretary shall allocate funds made available
for a fiscal year under subsection (i) to make grants to
eligible State educational agencies for a fiscal year in an
amount determined by the Secretary, based on the ratio that--
``(A) the number of lunches reimbursed through food
service programs under the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) in schools,
institutions, and service institutions in the State
that participate in the food service programs; bears to
``(B) the number of lunches reimbursed through the
food service programs in schools, institutions, and
service institutions in all States that participate in
the food service programs.
``(2) Minimum grant.--
``(A) In general.--The amount of a grant made to a
State educational agency for a fiscal year under this
section shall not be less than $500,000.
``(B) Insufficient funds.--If the amount made
available for any fiscal year is insufficient to pay
the amount to which each eligible State educational
agency is entitled under subparagraph (A), the
Secretary shall select, on a competitive basis,
eligible State educational agencies that will receive,
at least, the minimum amount of grants required under
subparagraph (A).
``(e) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, a State educational agency shall submit a State plan to the
Secretary for approval, in such manner and at such time as the
Secretary determines, that includes information regarding how the grant
will be used in accordance with this section.
``(f) Uses of Grant.--Subject to subsection (g), a grant made under
this section may be used to--
``(1) instruct students with regard to the nutritional
value of foods and the relationship between food and human
health;
``(2) promote healthy eating by children;
``(3) provide assistance to schools in the adoption and
implementation of school policies that promote healthy eating;
``(4) foster community environments that support healthy
eating and physical activities;
``(5) provide training and technical assistance to teachers
and school food service professionals consistent with this
section;
``(6) evaluate State and local nutrition education
programs;
``(7) disseminate educational materials statewide through
the use of the Internet, mailings, conferences, and other
communication channels;
``(8) provide subgrants to school and school food
authorities for carrying out nutrition education activities at
the local level; and
``(9) conduct programs and education for parents and
caregivers regarding healthy eating for children.
``(g) State Coordinators.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that at least
10 percent of a grant made to a State educational agency for
each fiscal year is used by the State educational agency to
appoint a team nutrition network coordinator for the State.
``(2) Role of state coordinators.--A team nutrition network
coordinator for a State shall--
``(A) develop and administer the team nutrition
network in the State; and
``(B) coordinate the team nutrition network of the
State with--
``(i) the Secretary (acting through the
Food and Nutrition Service);
``(ii) State agencies responsible for
children's health programs (including school-
based children's health programs); and
``(iii) other appropriate Federal, State,
and local agencies.
``(h) National Activities.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall reserve 20 percent
of the amount of funds made available for each fiscal year
under subsection (i) to promote team nutrition networks
nationally in accordance with this subsection.
``(2) Activities.--Of the amount of funds that are reserved
for a fiscal year under this section, the Secretary shall use--
``(A) 50 percent of the reserved funds for--
``(i) evaluation of activities funded under
this section; and
``(ii) development of a clearinghouse for
collecting and disseminating information on
best practices for promoting healthy eating in
school and community child nutrition programs;
and
``(B) 50 percent of the reserved funds to carry out
national activities to support team nutrition networks
through the Secretary, acting through the
Undersecretary of Food and Nutrition Services.
``(i) Funding.--
``(1) In general.--On October 1, 2004, and on each October
1 thereafter through October 1, 2007, out of any funds in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the
Treasury shall transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture to
carry out this section $50,000,000, to remain available until
expended.
``(2) Receipt and acceptance.--The Secretary shall be
entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out
this section the funds transferred under paragraph (1), without
further appropriation.''.
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