June 2016
House Passes Legislation that Threatens Access to Healthy Food for Children
On May 18, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce passed the Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016, which was intended to reauthorize the federal child nutrition programs currently in place. Additionally, this reauthorization would allow canned and/or dried fruits and vegetables to be part of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program. It would also weaken existing nutritional guidelines for schools that participate in the free and discounted school lunch programs.
This legislation would raise the eligibility threshold for schools that offer students free school meals, leading to an inability to participate in these nutritional programs for some children.
On May 18, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce passed the Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016, which was intended to reauthorize the federal child nutrition programs currently in place. Additionally, this reauthorization would allow canned and/or dried fruits and vegetables to be part of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program. It would also weaken existing nutritional guidelines for schools that participate in the free and discounted school lunch programs.
This legislation would raise the eligibility threshold for schools that offer students free school meals, leading to an inability to participate in these nutritional programs for some children.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Redesigns Nutritional Labels
The FDA has approved a new design for the nutritional labels on food items. Changes will make it easier for consumers to better understand how many calories and other nutrients they are consuming by featuring new categories and labeling more realistic portion sizes. New categories include the amount of added sugar in a serving, and breakdowns of specific types of fat in lieu of the current “calories from fat”. All categories will contain values for one serving and the entire package, as well as updated “daily value” amounts.
In addition to these key changes, the label redesign will more prominently feature the serving size and caloric content of the product, allowing consumers to make quick decisions more easily.
The FDA has approved a new design for the nutritional labels on food items. Changes will make it easier for consumers to better understand how many calories and other nutrients they are consuming by featuring new categories and labeling more realistic portion sizes. New categories include the amount of added sugar in a serving, and breakdowns of specific types of fat in lieu of the current “calories from fat”. All categories will contain values for one serving and the entire package, as well as updated “daily value” amounts.
In addition to these key changes, the label redesign will more prominently feature the serving size and caloric content of the product, allowing consumers to make quick decisions more easily.
Senate Fails to Pass Common Sense Gun Reform
After the tragic events that occurred in Orlando, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy launched a record setting 15 hour filibuster to force a vote on gun control measures. On June 20th, four measures were introduced to close gaps in background checks and make them universal, and to keep individuals on the “no fly” list from purchasing firearms. Both Republican and Democratic measures were voted down in close votes, which tended to follow party loyalty lines.
The failure to pass even one gun reform measure will remain a major political talking point on both sides of the isle this election season and will most likely have effects not only in the presidential race, but in the congressional races as well.
After the tragic events that occurred in Orlando, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy launched a record setting 15 hour filibuster to force a vote on gun control measures. On June 20th, four measures were introduced to close gaps in background checks and make them universal, and to keep individuals on the “no fly” list from purchasing firearms. Both Republican and Democratic measures were voted down in close votes, which tended to follow party loyalty lines.
The failure to pass even one gun reform measure will remain a major political talking point on both sides of the isle this election season and will most likely have effects not only in the presidential race, but in the congressional races as well.