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1 1 (March 8, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govxyu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service l nforrming the legislative debate since 1914 Updated March 8, 2019 An Introduction to Child Nutrition Reauthorization The child nutrition programs and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) were last reauthorized in 2010. Some of the authorities created or extended in that law (Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, P.L. 111-296) expired on September 30, 2015. However, the vast majority of program operations have continued with funding provided by appropriations acts. Child nutrition reauthorization refers to Congress's process of making changes, additions, and deletions to the permanent statutes that authorize the child nutrition programs, WIC, and related policies: (1) Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, (2) Child Nutrition Act, and sometimes (3) Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935. During the 114th Congress, committees of jurisdiction marked up bills but reauthorization was not completed (see CRS Report R44373, Tracking the Next Child Nutrition Reauthorization: An Overview). Major Programs Typically Amended in a Child Nutrition Reauthorization Table 1 summarizes the major programs that have been part of a child nutrition reauthorization. There are smaller grant programs or school meals' support functions that are not listed. The five main child nutrition programs are the *0 *0 *0 *0 *0 National School Lunch Program (NSLP); School Breakfast Program (SBP); Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP); Summer Food Service Program (SFSP); and Special Milk Program (SMP). Participating children (and adults for CACFP) receive subsidized meals, snacks and/or milk, which may be free or at reduced price for those eligible. States and food-serving institutions (e.g., schools) receive federal reimbursements for the food served. Some programs also receive USDA commodity food assistance. Details vary by program. WIC provides eligible low-income women, infants, and children (under five years old) with specific supplemental foods as well as certain services. The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) provides vouchers redeemable at farmers markets to WIC participants. Related Programs and Policies in the Farm Bill The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable (Snack) Program (FFVP) is authorized in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. Omnibus farm bill legislation in 2008 and 2014 amended the program. No amendments to FFVP were made in the 2010 child nutrition reauthorization or the 2018 farm bill. The 2018 farm bill (P.L. 115-334) reauthorized the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as well as USDA's purchase of foods for the child nutrition programs. Categorization of Programs' Funding Most of the WIC and child nutrition programs' funding requires annual appropriations: * Most child nutrition program funding is appropriated mandatory spending based on formulas and criteria in the authorizing laws (e.g., the programs' per-meal reimbursements). * Some smaller child nutrition grants and activities are funded with discretionary appropriations (e.g., Team Nutrition). * WIC and WIC FMNP funds are discretionary. The child nutrition programs also receive support from sources outside the appropriations process. Particularly, USDA's Section 32 program, a permanent appropriation of 30% of the previous year's customs receipts, transfers certain funds to the child nutrition programs annually. Last Reauthorization The 2010 reauthorization, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-296), included a number of new and revised policies, particularly for the school meals programs (NSLP and SBP). In some cases, the new policies' details are largely described within the statute (e.g., community eligibility provision, an option for eligible schools to provide all meals for free). In other cases, the details of the policy were laid out in USDA-promulgated regulations (e.g., updated school meals nutrition standards and new nutrition standards for other foods sold in schools). Have the Programs Expired? Many of these programs' authorizations are permanent (they have no expiration date). This is the case for the main functions of NSLP, SBP, CACFP, and SMP. In other cases, while the authority for the program itself is permanent, the program's authorization of appropriations expired on September 30, 2015 (e.g., SFSP, WIC, WIC FMNP, and State Administrative Expenses, which funds states' operation of certain programs). In such cases, the program may still operate if funding is provided in appropriations laws, which has been the case for these programs in FY2016 (P.L. 114-113), FY2017 (P.L. 115- 31), FY2018 (P.L. 115-141), and FY2019 (P.L. 116-6) (as well as FY2016, FY2017, FY2018, and FY2019 continuing resolutions). A few pilot programs and temporary activities expired on September 30, 2015, and were not always extended. A California program to provide SFSP snacks year-round has not been extended. Currently, federal authority to conduct food safety audits and mandatory funding for a National Hunger Clearinghouse have been extended by FY2017, FY2018, and FY2019 appropriations laws. https://crsreports.congress~gov

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