Yesterday on the House Floor, Congressman Dave Loebsack initiated congressional action to correct a section of the Older Americans Reauthorization Act of 2006. This correction will provide the means for states to serve more meals to hundreds of thousands of older Americans through the Nutrition Services Incentive Program.
Previous legislation prevented states from purchasing commodities directly from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Instead, states were being forced to purchase higher priced food goods from private vendors. This unfortunate situation reduced the number of seniors some local Area Agencies could serve, and compromised the nutritional value of the meals being distributed.
Congressman Loebsack took the lead in the United States House of Representatives to correct the original Senate language. Yesterday’s adoption by the House will allow states to purchase high quality low cost commodities directly from the USDA.
“Immediate action was necessary to revise and pass the bill so that all states can place their order with the Department of Agriculture for FY 2008 by April 7th. Hundreds of thousands of seniors could have been denied nutritious daily meals,” said Congressman Loebsack. “We must make sure our senior population is treated with the utmost care and dignity. I strongly support critical programs like Meals on Wheels that deliver hot nutritious meals to our seniors daily.”
In addition to allowing states to purchase commodities directly from the USDA to provide food to seniors, this legislation reduces the administrative burden on USDA, and streamlines the transfer of funds between the Department of Health and Human Services, to which funds are appropriated, and the Department of Agriculture, which purchases commodities for the states.
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