Yesterday, the House Education and Labor Committee passed the Child Nutrition Reauthorization underscoring the importance of child nutrition to the future our nation.

People across the country continue to learn not only about the importance of what we eat, but also where our food comes from and what we should be feeding our children. There is not a town or community in the United States that won’t benefit from the legislation because it is about providing the future of our nation – our kids- with the healthy food they need.

This legislation contains provisions that will help our kids learn about nutrition in the early stages of their lives so they can form healthy eating habits that will accompany them into adulthood. It will also help put in place the resources necessary to reach our goal of eliminating childhood obesity and bringing healthy meals to those that need them the most.

We must reduce the barriers to participation in these critical programs and improve access for those in need. For many children, School Lunch and Breakfast represents the only healthy food that they eat each day.  Provisions of this bill work towards alleviating these crises and getting every child the nutrition they need to thrive. By improving meal quality, solidifying nutrition standards for school meals and granting food to children in need – even in the summer months, our legislators are working towards a guaranteed healthy environment for schools.

The health and nutrition of America’s children is a priority for parents, educators, legislators and leaders throughout the country. The commitment of Chairman Miller, Congresswoman McCarthy and Congressman Platts has set the work in motion to ensure that our children have the well-rounded, nutritious meals they need to be healthy, as well as successful in their academic achievement. In order to make these changes permanent, it must start now in every school district. It is certainly my hope that we take the final steps to implement these changes by the time kids return to school in the fall.