POLITICS - Fight Over the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act

Leave it to Republicans to turn a children's health issue to an argument about money.  More evidence that to Republicans your, and your children's, health is worth little.

Note the law was passed in 2010 and this is 2014, four years is not enough for getting ready to comply?!

"Political fight simmers over school lunch menu changes" PBS NewsHour 5/29/2014

Excerpt

JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour):  Now to combating obesity and promoting nutrition among American children.

First lady Michelle Obama has made healthy eating, particularly in schools, her top public priority.  But after hearing from some school districts about the complications in implementing the new program, Republicans are now pushing to roll back the regulations.

In recent weeks, the issue of public school lunch standards has turned into a political food fight in Washington.  First lady Michelle Obama has made fighting childhood obesity a priority.  And, on Tuesday, she criticized House Republicans who are trying to scale back nutrition guidelines she championed.

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA:  So, this is unacceptable.  It’s unacceptable to me, not just as First Lady, but as a mother.

JUDY WOODRUFF:  The new standards took effect under the 2010 Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.  They require schools to use more whole grains and fresh fruit in meals.  And they set limits on the amount of fat, sugar and sodium in food items.

MICHELLE OBAMA:  So, the last thing that we can afford to do right now is play politics with our kids’ health, especially when we’re finally starting to see some progress on this issue.

JUDY WOODRUFF:  But Republicans, siding with some school nutrition professionals and food companies, argue too many students won’t eat the new lunch offerings, and say schools are having a hard time paying for the standards.  They have proposed a one-year waiver.