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Obama Signs Child Nutrition Bill, Kids Michelle About 'Sleeping on the Couch'

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President Obama signed a nutrition bill on Monday with funding to improve food choices for children, a central element of First Lady Michelle Obama's anti-obesity crusade. Obama joked that getting Congress to pass it was a priority for him.

"Not only am I very proud of the bill, but had I not been able to get this passed, I would be sleeping on the couch," the president said as he introduced his wife at the bill signing event at a Washington, D.C., elementary school.

Mrs. Obama seemed to take the inference about their home life in stride, replying, "And all kidding aside, my husband worked very hard to make sure that this bill was a priority in this session, and I am grateful to you."

"Because I would have been sleeping on the couch," the president repeated.

Said Mrs. Obama, "But I am thrilled to be here -- we won't go into that. We'll just take -- don't have to go down that road. But I am thrilled to be here with all of you today as my husband signs the 'Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act' into law."

The first lady had urged passage of the legislation in more than 20 speeches over the past year.

The bill, which increases federal funding for school lunches for the first time in more than three decades, gives the secretary of agriculture the power to set standards for foods sold in schools, including those in vending machines. The legislation also combats child hunger by making more than 100,000 children on Medicaid eligible for free lunches.

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nannie

what a joke sure and if u cant get medicare u cant get the lunch . what a polical joke all this is . as long as thier kids eat and go to the best schools and get the best medical care who the hell cares right !

January 21 2011 at 8:22 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
glendaaparis

I work in a school, and do not have a problem with free breakfasts and lunches for the kids who parents cannot afford to pay. What I have a problem with is the amount of food, milk and juices that go into the trash. Milk and juice cartons, unopened, go into the trash. Fruit, not touched, go into the trash. Plate lunches, some not even touched, except those who "play" with the food, go into the trash. Close to the end of the lunch period, it's announced the kids can go to the "snack" bar and buy cookies, whatever they have that day, and a majority of the kids buy from the snack bar. Can't pay for their lunches but they can buy from the snack bar (and by the way, they all have cell phones). Because this is "federally funded", the untouched leftovers can't be given to employees (and I'm including teachers) to take home. Cannot be given to charity groups who feed the hungry, and we do have hungry people in my small town. Federally funded, meaning our tax dollars are going into the trash rather than doing more good for the hungry. Getting off the subject here but saw 2 women come into the school to pick up the "angel tree" gifts for their kids. Both women had cell phones to their ears, neither one put the phone away to accept the gifts. Back on the subject, I know that the school breakfast and lunches might be the only food some of the kids get and I want them to have it. I also understand there could be a "liability" aspect somewhere in giving the food away, but these are hard times and could help so many people. That said, Merry Christmas everyone, and God bless you.

December 14 2010 at 11:10 AM Report abuse +6 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to glendaaparis's comment
nannie

i can seee ur point to an extent , but how much does it cost us every time obama starts up a jet to take frist lady out to eat . or any of t he goverment fat heads ?
i know some people are dishonest , rich poor , or middle class
but does it say only all pooor should be honest?
while the rich lie lie lie . maybe they should have a snack bar !
then the kids would eat thier lunches . when i was a kid we didnt have snack bars , we either brought our lunch or we ate from lunches from the school it was either cold lunch or hot lunch
so either ate what ur parents sent or u ate what the school made
and if ur parents couldnt afford to buy lunches they let ur child work in the lunch room for a free lunch .

January 21 2011 at 8:39 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
cotiscc

If these kids are so hungry, how did they get to be so fat?

December 13 2010 at 5:17 PM Report abuse +9 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to cotiscc's comment
nannie

because most these kids eat starches , rice , mac and chesse that are cheap to buy or can be picked up at food boxing . starches all though filling are very fatting . not every one can afford the prices of fruit and vegetable at leat not fresh ones . maybe they dont eat three times a day and then at night have mac and cheese or rice or other fods not heathly , and they pig out and then go to sleeep . this is not heathly .

January 21 2011 at 8:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ettu

Now we are going to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, free in the schools .......guess what comes next, parents. Cots in the gymnasium. You get to have your kids home every other weekend. Your only responsibility will be to do the laundry.

December 13 2010 at 4:19 PM Report abuse +6 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to ettu's comment
nannie

its ok to pay for the goverment bhig heads to ride in a jet for dinner . but not to feed hungry people . dont worry pretty soon well be like thrid world counties , the rich will have food medical, best school , best of every thing i hope ur one of them cause if not u may be lucky if their nice car drives by and maybe throw a piece of gabage they dont want to on the side of the street for u to eat . cause they also will have the best jobs , no job , means no home , no food , no medical . no food stamps . no program to feed u and guess what u can crawl in a hole and die some where . but since u cant pay to do that they will maybe throw u in a hole and burn u if ur lucky .

January 21 2011 at 8:31 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply

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