Pelosi releases statement on Obama's signing of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after she attended a ceremony this morning where President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This bipartisan legislation will improve the quality of meals students eat at school, increase the number of healthy meals available to needy children, and provide the first real boost in the federal reimbursement rate for school lunches in more than 30 years:

"The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act honors our commitment to our children: to give them a healthy start and a fair shot, and to ensure that no student is held back by hunger from reaching their full potential.

"This landmark legislation brings common sense back to our school cafeterias and snack machines, and empowers parents to fight the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. It improves the quality of school breakfasts and lunches and provides our neediest families with the security of knowing that their children will have access to a healthy meal. And it's fully paid for, not adding a dime to the deficit.

"Addressing childhood nutrition is a moral issue and a competitiveness issue. It is a national security issue, strengthening our military readiness. And in signing this bill into law, President Obama joins the House, Senate, and the First Lady in shining a bright light on the need to get our students moving and make America's children healthier."