Recognizing the importance of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and its positive effect on the lives of low income children and families.

Madam Speaker, I rise today support of H. Res. 442, ``Recognizing the importance of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and its positive effect on the lives of low income children and families.'' I would also like to thank my distinguished colleague, Representative George Miller of California for introducing this important legislation. There are too many in our nation that too often go hungry. It is important to extend our support to those domestic programs that alleviate suffering in our own nation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that in 2007:

36.2 million people lived in households considered to be food insecure.

Of these 36.2 million, 23.8 million are adults (10.6 percent of all adults) and 12.4 million are children (16.9 percent of all children).

The number of people in the worst-off households increased to 11.9 from 10.8 in 2005. This increase in the number of people in the worst- off category is consistent with other studies and the Census Bureau poverty data, which show worsening conditions for the poorest Americans.

Black (22.2 percent) and Hispanic (20.1 percent) households experienced food insecurity at far higher rates than the national average. -

The ten states with the highest food insecurity rates in 2007 were Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Maine, South Carolina, Georgia, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.

USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care and making it more affordable for many low-income families. Each day, 2.9 million children receive nutritious meals and snacks through CACFP. The program also provides meals and snacks to 86,000 adults who receive care in nonresidential adult day care centers. CACFP reaches even further to provide meals to children residing in emergency shelters, and snacks and suppers to youths participating in eligible after school care programs.

As a Co-Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, the issues that plague the children of our nation are important to me. Children are the future of our nation, and it is of vital importance that we raise a strong, intelligent generation that will be able to lead our country. The Child and Adult Food Care Program ensure that families with children receive nutritious meals; meals are a staple in a healthy prosperous life that are constantly overlooked and mitigated. Nutritious food can make life more enjoyable and prolong life. People who eat a more balanced, nutrient dense diet are more likely to be physically fit, feel better, and have fewer illnesses as well as lower risk of heart disease and diabetes. In this age of epidemic obesity, eating a well-balanced diet needs to be of utmost importance for the American population, particularly the children.

Children who are well-nourished feel safe and secure, pay attention, behave, and stay healthy. Children who participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program eat more fruits, vegetables, milk, and have a better overall diet quality. The CACFP will instill good eating habits in children from an early age. Additionally, the CACFP sponsors The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) which is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.

Texas

For the second year in a row, the study revealed Texas having the #1 rate of child hunger at 22.1 percent. Texas is also in the top five states with children under five at risk of hunger (23.3 percent). Additionally, in Texas, there are 6,644,060 under the age of 18. 1,470,704 of these children are food insecure. Food insecurity refers to the lack of access to enough food to fully meet basic needs at all times due to lack of financial resources. There are different levels of food insecurity.

According to the results of the Census Bureau survey, those at greatest risk of being hungry or on the edge of hunger (i.e., food insecure) live in households that are: headed by a single woman; Hispanic or Black; or with incomes below the poverty line. Overall, households with children experience food insecurity at almost double the rate for households without children. Geographically, food insecurity is more common in central city households. The survey data also show that households are more likely to be hungry or food insecure if they live in states in the Midwest and South.

H. Res. 442 is essential to recognizing the importance of nutrition within our national boundaries. The Child and Adult Care Food Program has been cited as one of the most important support for long-term success in building strong family child care for low-income families and has proved an effective vehicle for supporting family child care providers. During the recent economic crisis, more people have begun to rely on the Child and Adult Food Program to feed their families.

I firmly believe that H. Res. 442 contributes to and support quality child care that provides early education experiences and provides a basis for lifetime healthy eating behaviors, and I know that these are essential to building a strong foundation for our youth and our nation. I urge my colleague to support this bill as well as we come together and demonstrate our support for nutrition and the children of our nation.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 442) recognizing the importance of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and its positive effect on the lives of low-income children and families.

Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House Resolution 442 into the Record.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 442, which expresses Congress' support for the important work of the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Participation in nutrition programs sets the foundation for healthy lifetime eating behaviors. Studies prove that it is only when young children are well nourished that they feel secure, pay attention, behave and maintain good health. Through the Child and Adult Care Food Program's provisioning of nutritious meals and snacks, millions of children are able to experience the positive effects of improved nutrition.

Authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, the Child and Adult Care Food Program seeks to improve the quality of child care through the support of programs providing early education experiences while making such programs more affordable to our low- income families. As part of their day care program, licensed child care centers and child care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program provide 2.9 million nutritious meals and snacks every day of operation. These meals and snacks have been found to be nutritionally superior to the meals provided by nonparticipating providers. In fact, the program that has its children participating in it, has them consuming more fruits, vegetables and milk than nonparticipants. They even have higher quality diets overall.

Beyond the services provided to young children in child care, the Child and Adult Care Food Program also provides meals for children in emergency shelters and those enrolled in eligible after-school care programs. Additionally, the program serves 86,000 adults receiving care in nonresidential adult day care centers.

Sponsorship of the child and adult care food program is critical now that the economic crisis is making it even harder for families to adequately feed their children. All children who qualify should be able to experience the positive benefits of the high-quality child care and nutritious meals as provided by the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Madam Speaker, once again, I express my support for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, obviously the value of nutrition and nutrition programs provides a longtime benefit for all age demographics in our population and certainly a lifetime of benefits for our children. And I would firmly request that the House stand in full support of the resolution before us, H. Res. 442.

I yield back my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 442, a resolution recognizing the importance of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and its positive effect on the lives of low income children and families. I'd like to thank my friend, Representative George Miller, for introducing this legislation--and for his commitment to ending childhood hunger in America.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care for children and elderly adults by making care more affordable for many low-income families. Through CACFP, 2.9 million children and 86,000 adults receive nutritious meals and snacks each day as part of their day care.

For many years--I have stressed the importance of a healthy diet for America's school children. We now have scientific proof that a direct connection exists between a nutritious diet and student achievement in the classroom.

As Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on nutrition--I fought to include important expansions of fresh fruit and vegetable programs for our schools in last year's farm bill. This legislation works in conjunction with programs like CACFP to create a healthier school environment for America's children.

Congress has expanded CACFP to support children in a variety of new settings including at-risk after-school programs and homeless, domestic violence and runaway shelters. In addition, CACFP has been made available to adult day care centers serving chronically impaired adults or people over age 60.

In today's terrible economic climate--the benefits of the CACFP program are having a greater impact than ever before. The program plays a vital role in creating and maintaining quality, affordable care for preschool and school-age children. I am proud to support this resolution--which gives the CACFP program much deserved Congressional recognition. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 442, recognizing the importance of The Child and Adult Food Care Program and its positive effect on the lives of low-income children and families.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food and nutrition service administers the Child and Adult Care Food Program through grants to States.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program serves nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers. Every day, 2.9 million children receive nutritious meals and snacks with the Child and Adult Food Program. The program provides meals and snacks to 86,000 adults who receive care in those residential adult day care centers.

The program also provides meals to children residing in emergency shelters

and snacks and suppers to youth participating in eligible after-school care programs.

Studies have shown that young children pay attention, behave, and stay healthy when they are well nourished. The Department of Agriculture's evaluation of the Child and Adult Care Food Program found that children in the program receive meals that were nutritionally superior to those meals served in child care settings outside of the program.

The program plays an important role in improving the quality of day care and making it more affordable for many low-income families. I stand in support of this resolution and ask for my colleagues to support it as well.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately Monday night, May 18, 2009, I was unable to cast my votes on H. Res. 300, S. 386 and H. Res. 442 and wish the record to reflect my intentions had I been able to vote.

Had I been present for rollcall No. 267, on suspending the rules and passing H. Res. 300, Congratulating Camp Dudley YMCA of Westport, New York, on the occasion of its 125th anniversary, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for Rollcall No. 268, on suspending the Rules and agreeing to the Senate Amendments to the House Amendments on S. 386, the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for Rollcall No. 269, on suspending the Rules and passing H. Res. 442, Recognizing the importance of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and its positive effect on the lives of low-income children and families, I would have voted ``aye.''