Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 3874 - Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Amendments of 1998

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House)

(Reps. Castle (R) DE and Riggs (R) CA)

The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 3874. The bill would reauthorize appropriations, through FY 2003, for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the Summer Food Service Program; the Farmers Market Nutrition Program; the Nutrition Education and Training Program; and State administrative support for the School Lunch Program. In addition, H.R. 3874 would make various amendments to the Child Nutrition and School Lunch Acts, including protections against WIC fraud and abuse and expansions of the summer and after-school nutrition programs. The Administration believes that the Federal nutrition programs are critical to ensuring the health and well-being of our Nation's children.

The Administration, however, opposes the bill's provision on criminal forfeiture, which is both flawed and unworkable. The Administration will work to delete this provision as the bill continues through the legislative process.

Pay-As-You-Go

H.R. 3874 would affect direct spending and receipts; therefore, it is subject to the pay-as-you-go requirement of the Omnibus Budget and Reconciliation Act of 1990. The Office of Management and Budget's scoring of the bill is currently under development. Preliminary estimates suggest the bill could have pay-as-you-go costs associated with it. The Administration will work with the Congress to address this issue.