PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 528.
Congressional Research Service
Version 36 · Passed House amended · Jul 19, 1994
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Amendments to National School Lunch Act Title II: Amendments to Child Nutrition Act of 1966 Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act of 1994 - Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (CNA) and the National School Lunch Act (NSLA) to revise and reauthorize child nutrition programs. Expresses the sense of the Congress regarding child nutrition programs' full funding for needy children, administrative streamlining, and coordination of nutrition education. Title I: Amendments to National School Lunch Act - Amends NSLA to allow schools which purchase an equivalent amount of fresh fruits and vegetables elsewhere to refuse some or all of the fresh fruits and vegetables offered through the commodity distribution program and to receive other commodities in lieu of them. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretary) to ensure that at least 12 percent of the cash and commodity assistance provided to schools for the national school lunch program be in the form of commodities. (Sec. 102) Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance to schools and other entities to ensure compliance with nutritional requirements under the school lunch program, summer food service program for children, and child and adult care food programs. (Sec. 103) Requires that minimum nutritional requirements be based, at a minimum, on the weekly average nutrient content. Requires schools to offer a variety of fluid milk, consistent with prior year demonstrated preferences. Permits NSLA and CNA eligibility data to be used in determining eligibility for other nutrition programs. Grants automatic eligibility for Head Start participants in the child and adult care food program, beginning in FY 1996. Directs the Secretary to clarify the need for production plan documentation and internal controls for certain purposes. Requires the Secretary to ensure that fish and fish products purchased by schools in the school lunch program are inspected in compliance with specified requirements of the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Food and Drug Administration. (Sec. 104) Revises an alternative meal count option, and allows schools to receive their previous year's total reimbursement, under special assistance for schools electing to serve all children free lunches or breakfasts. (Sec. 105) Establishes a universal school lunch and breakfast pilot program, under which schools meeting certain requirements may serve free breakfasts and lunches to all children and receive a flat rate of reimbursement for all meals. (Sec. 106) Sets forth procedures relating to filing of reimbursement claims. Requires negotiated rulemaking before issuance of regulations for nutritional and compliance requirements. Permits States and local school food authorities to request waivers of certain requirements from the Secretary, in order to improve program operation. (Sec. 107) Revises and reauthorizes the summer food service program for children. Establishes priorities for determining participation of certain eligible service institutions. Eliminates: (1) the one-year waiting period for participation of private nonprofit organizations replacing school or government sponsors; and (2) the warning in private nonprofit organization applications relating to criminal provisions and related matters. Extends such program's authorization of appropriations. (Sec. 108) Reauthorizes the commodity distribution program. Directs the Secretary to: (1) improve overall nutritional quality of entitlement commodities provided in schools; and (2) require that nutritional content information labels be placed on packages or shipments of such entitlement commodities or otherwise provide such information. (Sec. 109) Revises and reauthorizes the child and adult care food program. Provides for automatic eligibility of certain Even Start program participants. Extends reapplication intervals to three years. Allows use of administrative funds to conduct outreach and recruitment to unlicensed day care homes. Directs the Secretary to encourage sponsor organizations to provide information and training concerning child health and development to family and group day care homes in the program. Reauthorizes two State-wide pilot projects under such program. (Sec. 110) Expands and makes permanent the homeless children nutrition program, for projects to provide food service throughout the year to homeless children under the age of six in emergency shelters. Directs the Secretary to develop a plan to incorporate such program into the child and adult care food program. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 111) Makes permanent the authorization for existing cash or commodity letter of credit sites. Directs the Secretary to establish a demonstration program of grants to eligible institutions or schools to provide meals and supplements to adolescents participating in activities outside of school hours. (Sec. 112) Includes families of children participating in child nutrition programs among those whom paperwork burden reduction is designed to help. (Sec. 113) Extends the authorization of appropriations for the food service management institute. (Sec. 114) Adds duties of the Secretary relating to nonprocurement debarment under certain child nutrition programs, in order to deter fraud, bid rigging, and other anticompetitive activities. Title II: Amendments to Child Nutrition Act of 1966 - Amends CNA to direct the Secretary to: (1) provide technical assistance to schools to comply with nutritional requirements under the school breakfast program; and (2) establish a program to promote the school breakfast program. Reauthorizes, permanently, the school breakfast startup grant program. Allows a portion of startup program funds to be used for school breakfast program expansion grants. (Sec. 202) Reauthorizes the State administrative expenses program. Sets forth procedures for withholding of funds and a requirement that States participate in studies. (Sec. 203) Revises and reauthorizes the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children (WIC). (Changes the word "food" to "nutrition" in such program's name.) Includes alcoholism, drug abuse, and pregnancy under nutritional risk factors. Directs the Secretary to promote the WIC program. Provides presumptive WIC eligibility for certain pregnant women. Gives priority consideration to certain migrant populations. Allows State agencies to implement WIC and Medicaid income eligibility guidelines concurrently. Allows recovered funds to be used in the year collected. Extends the authorization of appropriations for the WIC program. Allows use of funds for technical assistance and research evaluation projects. Provides for funding WIC breastfeeding promotion and support activities according to a specified formula. Requires development of standards for collection of breastfeeding data among program participants. Requires submission of information to the Congress on waivers with respect to procurement of infant formula to be on a timely basis, rather than at six-month intervals. Provides that a State will not incur interest liability to the Federal Government on rebate funds for infant formula and other foods if all such interest is used for program purposes. Directs the Secretary to use a portion of certain funds, which are unspent for nutrition services and administration, for program infrastructure development, special State projects to improve program services, and special breastfeeding support and promotion projects. Revises the WIC farmers' market nutrition program. Limits eligibility to WIC recipients (eliminating those on the waiting list). Expands such program and allows a portion of funds to be used for market development. Provides for continued funding for certain States. Adds a consideration for providing funds to serve additional recipients in States that received assistance in the prior fiscal year. Revises the percentage of annual appropriations available to States. Eliminates a funding carryover provision. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and carry out an initiative to provide WIC program services at community and migrant health centers. (Sec. 204) Revises and reauthorizes the nutrition education and training program. Adds to authorized uses of program funds. Extends the authorization of appropriations for such program. Allows States two years in which to obligate each fiscal year's funds. Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Directs the Secretary to consolidate the school lunch program and the school breakfast program into a comprehensive meal program. (Sec. 302) Directs the Comptroller General and the Director of the Office of Technology Assessment to study and report to specified congressional committees on the use of private food establishments and caterers under the school lunch and school breakfast programs. (Sec. 303) Directs the Comptroller General to report to specified congressional committees on the unified accountability system under NSLA. (Sec. 304) Requires the State of Hawaii to comply with Buy American provisions of the Commodity Distribution Reform Act and WIC Amendments of 1987. (Sec. 305) Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to specified congressional committees on the incidence and effect of States restricting or prohibiting a legally contracted commercial entity from physically combining federally donated and inspected meat or poultry with that from another State.
People & committees
Rep. Kildee, Dale E. [D-MI-9] · D–MI
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 528.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 372 - 40 (Roll No. 334).
House roll call 334 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 372 - 40 (Roll No. 334).
House roll call 334 · Individual votesConsidered as unfinished business.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule I, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5791-5807, H5849-5850)
Mr. Kildee moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 310.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 103-535, Part II. Filed late, pursuant to previous special order.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Agriculture. H. Rept. 103-535, Part II. Filed late, pursuant to previous special order.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations and Nutrition.
Referred sequentially to the House Committee on Agriculture for a period ending not later than June 24, 1994 for consideration of such provisions contained in the bill and amendment as fall within the jurisdiction of that committee pursuant to clause 1(a), rule X.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 103-535, Part I.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Education and Labor. H. Rept. 103-535, Part I.
Mr. Kildee asked unanimous consent that the Committee on Education and Labor have until 5:00 p.m. on June 3 to file a report on H.R. 8. Agreed to without objection.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E54-55)
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Jul 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.R.8 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.R.8 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.R.8 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine H.R.8 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.