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Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004

Date: June 24, 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Minors and Children Agriculture and Food


CHILD NUTRITION AND WIC REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2004 -- (House of Representatives - June 24, 2004)

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate bill (S. 2507) to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to provide children with increased access to food and nutrition assistance, to simplify program operations and improve program management, to reauthorize child nutrition programs, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

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Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.
I am very pleased to commend my colleagues, the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner); the ranking member the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller); and my good friend the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) on the wonderful work they have done, along with all of the other members of the committee.

I just want to give recognition to the fact that there was some controversy that developed around the WIC-only stores, but a good compromise has been worked out, and the compromise language in the bill is intended to make sure that the program serves the maximum number of eligible women, infants and children.

The language is not intended to eliminate WIC-only stores or to force the WIC-only stores to price their products less than the larger retail stores.

The WIC-only operators have agreed that they will make their prices more competitive, because that was one of the criticisms. I commend the WIC-only stores for providing special services to limited English speaking families and poor families that allows them to receive this valuable service with dignity and respect. The language in the bill also allows the WIC-only stores to use promotional items in the same way that the larger retail stores are allowed to do.

I would like to thank again all of my colleagues for working this out. The compromise language makes good sense, and this helps us to move forward in ways that serve the maximum number of women, infants and children.

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