05.28.2014 As you may know, the House Appropriations Committee is voting tomorrow morning, May 29th, on the agriculture spending bill for FY 2015. This bill includes a waiver that would allow schools to opt out of complying with all school meal standards if they show even the slightest decline in revenue over six months in the previous year (even if that decline is due to higher gas prices, lower enrollment, or other factors unrelated to the school meal standards.) Another provision would allow potatoes into the WIC food package.
The good news: California’s Congressman Sam Farr (CA-20) will be offering a straight amendment in the full committee mark-up on Thursday to strike the waiver provision in the Chairman’s mark, and he will call for a vote.
CALIFORNIANS: YOUR ADVOCACY MATTERS!
Today is the best time and last chance to weigh in with California’s House Appropriations Committee members before their full committee vote tomorrow. There are several California House members on the committee to whom it is important we communicate the following:
- Remove the school nutrition waiver provision and the potatoes in WIC provision, both of which would override scientifically-based decisions that support children’s health; and
- Support Rep. Farr’s amendment to strike the waiver authority in the bill that would exempt schools from meeting any school nutrition standards.
Learn more about the documented successes schools have had in implementing the improved nutrition standards in school meals programs. link
E-MAIL OR CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE!
House Appropriations Committee members from California include Reps. Ken Calvert, David Valadao, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Sam Farr, Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff, and Michael Honda.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Find your Representative: link
|
Representative |
District |
|
Phone |
|
Ken Calvert |
CA-42 |
Alexandra.Berenter@mail.house.gov |
202.225.1986 |
|
David Valadao |
CA-21 |
Jessica.Butler@mail.house.gov |
202.225.4695 |
|
Lucille Roybal-Allard |
CA-40 |
Natalie.Price@mail.house.gov |
202.225.1766 |
|
Sam Farr |
CA-20 |
Troy.Phillips@mail.house.gov |
202.225.2861 |
|
Barbara Lee |
CA-13 |
Mariah.Johnson@mail.house.gov |
202.225.2661 |
|
Adam B. Schiff |
CA-28 |
Dao.Nguyen@mail.house.gov |
202.225.4176 |
|
Michael M. Honda |
CA-17 |
Shawn.Tiegs@mail.house.gov, Kelly.Honda@mail.house.gov |
202.225.2631 |
Feel free to personalize and adapt the following script to use for an e-mail or a phone call:
My name is (name) and I live in (city), California. I am writing/calling to strongly urge you to not to roll back the great progress that most schools are making to improve child nutrition. I have two specific requests for you to consider before tomorrow’s House Appropriations Committee, when you will vote upon the agriculture spending bill for FY 2015:
- Remove the school nutrition waiver provision and the potatoes in WIC provision, both of which would override scientifically-based decisions that support children’s health; and
- Support Rep. Farr’s amendment to strike the waiver authority in the bill that would exempt schools from meeting any school nutrition standards.
Nearly 2.5 million children live in food-insecure households in California. For those children, meals served at school are a critical resource – and may be the only nutritious meals they receive all day. The nutritional standards for the federal child nutrition programs should be evidence-based and guided by the latest nutritional science. Nutritional specifics should not be established within the political process. Accordingly, I strongly urge you to oppose any efforts to intervene in science-based rules regarding the federal child nutrition programs.
TAKE ACTION TODAY!
Don’t forget that the House Appropriations Committee is voting tomorrow morning, May 29th. All communications need to happen by close of business today, May 28th.
Questions? Contact Elyse Homel Vitale at 510.433.1122 ext. 206
