Advocacy Project: Issue Overview

For my Advocacy Project, I decided to focus on children and the nutrition and health issues that are occuring. I forgot to include the bill I was choosing to work with last post (oops!!) so here is my bill:

S.581: A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the excluion of combat pay from income for purposes of determining eligibility for child nutrition programs and the special supplemental nutrtion program for women, infants and children.
Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F
Committees: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Latest Major Action: 3/12/2009 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
My political representative: Sen. Amy Klobuchar

Whew, that was kind of a lot!

I would ask for a vote of YES to support this bill, as I feel it is imporatant for children and families alike to be supported in the area of nutrition and healthy habits beginning in the school settings for children.

Who is affected by the issue?
Those mostly affected by this issue would be the children and their families. I feel just because the kids will have positive changes in their school lunches and the ability to lead healthier lifestyles starting in the schools, and learn the importance of this subject. Children and their families will be those that gain the most from this change. Those negatively affected by this may be taxpayers or government due to the increase in cost it may propose to support this change.

Consequences of this issue...
The positive consequences of this issue would be healthier children, leading healthier lives and making better decisions nutrition wise, thus being more beneficial to them all in the long run. This would also be the case in terms of their families. They will be gaining healthier habits at school, that could directly lead to healthier habits for their families as a whole. I also feel society will benefit from this change as well, as children will learn these habits now and carry them with as they grow and become older, only leading to better society as a whole as well.

Economic Impact...
By this bill being passed, it might make some things more expensive for tax payers as well as governmental supporters, as healthier options tend to be a bit more expensive. So up front and directly this may be something people do not like about this change. But, looking to the big picture, the cost of health care will be decreased for these children later in life as they lead healthier lifestyles and are healthier individuals. Therefore, health care costs will go down as well as insurance.

Social Impact...
The social impact will be similar to that of the economic impact. I just feel this will be an overall great improvement all around, due to healthier livestyles and habits among all, so everyone will benefit on some level.

Barriers...
Barriers to this issue are that people will not support the efforts to improve on this issue. Those who will go against paying the extra cost. To overcome this is by really emphasizing the part of "exclusion of combat pay from income for purposes of determining eligibiltiy for child nutrition programs and the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children." I feel the push of this part of the bill would be useful to combat that barrier.

Resources...
Resources for this issue would be to educate children about the issue, as well as the reason behind this change so they can bring it outside of the schools. Also, hold meetings and times for parents/gaurdians to attend seminars on the benefits and knowledge behind this issue as well. Therefore, professionals as well as governmental representatives would need to come and talk to the public about this issue, addressing all areas of the bill and the topic.

History of Issue...
President Bush signed a law back in 2004 called Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, which provided more nutritious meals and snacks to children in schools and after school programs.
Another past effort is that of addressing special nutritional needs of some children, such as allergies and diabetes. These are programs for school authoraties to watch and be a part of to better understand these special issues of children. (Meeting Children's Special Food and Nutrition Needs in Child Nutrition Programs.)

Allies & Opponents...
I feel parents/gaurdians, doctors/health practitioners, governmental authorities, school teachers and authorities, and the children themselves would support this issue. I also feel, though, that parents/gaurdians and children might also oppose this issue, as the change might not be so exciting and beneficial to all. Also, schools might not be so pumped about it if they have to pay more for such programs and changes.

I want my policy-makers to vote a strong YES on this issue!!! Go Health!!