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Washington, DC -- Congressman David Wu successfully amended legislation today to make Oregon eligible for participation in a successful summer food service pilot program, currently available in thirteen states. Oregon's participation will allow housing authorities, schools, and non-profits to offer summer meals to many more Oregon children.
"For many Oregon children, the only reliable meal of the day comes from their school or community program," said Congressman David Wu. "With Oregon being the hungriest state, my amendment ensures that more Oregon children will receive regular meals continually throughout the year."
Today, the Committee on Education and the Workforce debated H.R. 3873, the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act. The bill provides children with access to federal food and nutrition assistance programs and aims to simplify required administrative operations. The Lugar Summer Food Pilot Project, was set to expire, but now will continue with Oregon as an eligible participant. The pilot project, initially enacted by Congress in 2001, encourages food service program sponsorship by simplifying cost accounting requirements, reducing paperwork and allowing modestly higher reimbursement rates.
As with the thirteen states originally chosen to participate, many low-income children in Oregon receive meals through their school. However, due to administrative burdens, it is often difficult for these food assistance programs to continue through the summer. The Lugar Pilot Project will encourage participation and more children in the hungriest state of the union will have year round access to healthy, substantive meals.
It wasn't until after the Lugar Pilot Project began in 2001, that the USDA officially reported that Oregon, Utah and Oklahoma were the hungriest states of the union. Congressman Wu's amendment established eligibility for all three states.
H.R. 3873 will be sent to the House floor for a vote in the coming months.
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