WASHINGTON—The National Governors Association releases the following statement in advance of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry’s markup of a bipartisan bill to reauthorize federal school nutrition programs:
“The nation’s governors are working to solve child hunger and remove a significant roadblock to the learning process. The Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act of 2016 takes necessary steps to ensure states and schools can focus their energy on increasing access to school meals, rather than complying with federal requirements.
Governors are encouraged the bill strengthens federal child nutrition policy by improving how states review school compliance with federal nutrition requirements. This allows for more flexibility to align state and federal efforts and paves the way for more efficient delivery of summer meals.
As reauthorization moves forward, governors stand ready to work with Congress to reform federal school nutrition programs and ensure they build on state efforts to improve the health, wellness and academic achievement of the nation’s children.”
