This week, the Child Nutrition Initiative ran full-page advertisements in Washington's Roll Call magazine urging Senate and House leadership to pass strong child nutrition legislation by September 30. The ads, featuring a classroom setting and "Our Kids Can't Afford to Wait for Healthy School Meals," were sponsored by the Child Nutrition Initiative and funded by several public health foundations, and will run in Roll Call through the end of this month. Also as part of the campaign, cafeteria trays with similar messages will be delivered to Capitol Hill offices this week.

"Our goal is to get child nutrition passed and on President Obama's desk by the end of September," said Dr. Lorelei DiSogra, United Fresh vice president of nutrition and health. "Both of these bills contain funding to increase the school lunch reimbursement rate which is directly tied to schools serving more fruits and vegetables."

Senate leadership is urged to schedule floor time to pass the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307), a bipartisan bill that passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously in the Spring.

In the House, Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) is expected to mark-up his Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act bill following the July 4 recess. House leadership is urged to make child nutrition a priority to pass by September 30.

For more information, contact Dr. DiSogra at 202-303-3400, ext. 403.