HR0594 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0594 LRB093 14754 MKM 40303 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The National School Lunch Program is open to all children enrolled in participating schools and approximately 95% of public schools participate; and

WHEREAS, During the 2001-2002 school year, more than 27.4 million children in more than 97,000 schools and residential child care institutions participated in the National School Lunch Program; and

WHEREAS, Although the National School Lunch Program strives to offer children a balanced and nutritional meal every day, over the last twenty years, rates of obesity have doubled in children and have tripled in adolescents, prompting concerns that the program should be updated to provide even more nutritional awareness; and

WHEREAS, Good nutrition is important to the academic performance and success of every child; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Congress to strengthen and improve the Child Nutrition Program and the National School Lunch Program by adding a State-level infrastructure and networking component to the Team Nutrition program by increasing the State Administrative Expense Formula and dedicating a portion of that increase to nutrition education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge Congress to maintain current funding levels for existing Team Nutrition program components and to give the United States Department of Agriculture more flexibility to spend those resources; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge Congress to provide annual grants to states or school districts for a "Health Foods for Healthy Kids Initiative" for educational and promotional materials, salad bars and other healthier lunch options, innovative vending options, and other creative ways to help schools provide and encourage children to consume more fruits and vegetables; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge Congress to provide grants to states to train localities on the School Meals Initiative in order to help schools improve the nutritional quality of meals, increase, fruits and vegetables, reduce saturated fat, and improve the school nutrition environment; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, and each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.