Pryce Votes to Improve Nutrition
Programs for Children in Ohio 

Secures provisions in legislation to encourage breastfeeding for WIC Mothers

Washington, D.C. -- Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-15-OH) voted today to strengthen federal child nutrition programs by improving program integrity and ensuring greater access to healthful meals and snacks for eligible children.  H.R. 3873, the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act, passed the House by a vote of 108-445.  

“One out of every six children in Ohio is hungry or at risk for hunger.  Any child who goes to bed hungry at night is one child too many,” said Pryce.  “There is no question that we must continue our efforts at a national level, partnering with the state and local entities, until every hungry child is fed.”

H.R. 3873 makes a number of reforms to ensure eligible children have access to services and is intended to address growing, public concerns that the federal school lunch program does not adequately certify that free and reduced-price lunch benefits go to children who qualify.  “This legislation takes an important step toward improving the federal child nutrition programs that guarantee children in Ohio have access to healthy and nutritious meals,” said Pryce. 

By strengthening and streamlining the certification process, the Child Nutrition Improvement & Integrity Act would necessitate that federal resources are effectively leveraged to serve children in need.  The bill includes steps to improve access for vulnerable children, including: ensuring children whose parents are in the Armed Forces and living in privatized military housing continue receiving free or reduced-price meals at school if they meet eligibility requirements; helping parents by allowing them to submit a single application for multiple children; and reducing paperwork by allowing school lunch certifications to be valid for one full year, preventing situations in which schools are forced to repeatedly certify children within a single school year.

The legislation also reauthorizes the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).  The bill improves the certification process for WIC participation, strengthens infant formula benefits, and takes steps to provide program integrity. 

Pryce worked to secure language in the legislation that highlights a section of the Healthy People 2010 initiative on the importance of breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding is recognized as the best form of infant nutrition and offers specific health and nutrition benefits.  “By including language in the bill to educate mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding, we're taking a much-needed step to see that more children may receive the best form of infant nutrition available,” said Pryce.

Healthy People 2010 initiative was published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has identified a number of important health goals for the nation.  This publication has established breastfeeding initiation goal of 75 percent for all mothers in the U.S.  Currently, 78 percent of non-WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding, but only 58 percent of WIC mothers initiate breastfeeding.  There are many reasons for this discrepancy, and WIC administrators are making an effort to address the challenge.  

Congresswoman Pryce represents the Fifteenth District of Ohio, which includes Western Franklin County, Madison, and Union Counties.  She serves as Chairman of the House Republican Conference for the 108th Congress, making her the fourth ranking member of House leadership.  The Congresswoman also co-chairs the Cancer Caucus.