,i #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #daja ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #bd1 #bjag,mr4 ,thompson of ,pennsylvania 7for himself and ,mr4 ,courtney7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce ,a ,,bill ,to reverse declining milk consumption in schools4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,school ,milk ,nutrition ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,dietary ,guidelines for ,americans recommend that most school-age children and adolescents consume three servings of milk or other dairy foods daily1 with two-and-a-half servings recommended for students younger than nine years4 7#b7 ,most ,americans1 including most children and adolescents1 consume on average only about half of the recommended amounts of dairy foods daily4 7#c7 ,milk is a source of many nutrients essential to health1 and is the leading source of nine essential nutrients in the diets of children and adolescents1 including three nutrients of public health concern3 vitamin ,d1 calcium1 and potassium4 7#d7 ,every eight ounces of low-fat and fat-free milk provides eight grams of protein4 7#e7 ,dairy foods are associated with improved bone health1 a lower risk of type #b diabetes1 a beneficial or neutral effect on blood pressure1 and may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease1 coronary heart disease1 and stroke4 7#f7 ,throughout the history of school-based ,federal meal programs1 milk has been offered with each meal4 7#g7 ,declines in average daily participation in the ,national ,school ,lunch ,program may result in fewer students consuming milk during the school day4 7#h7 ,declines in milk consumption in schools may exceed what would be expected from declines in average daily participation in the ,national ,school ,lunch ,program alone4 7#i7 ,it is in the public interest to promote the health of the ,nation's school-age population by encouraging and promoting consumption of milk in schools4 #c4 ,fluid milk ,section #i7;a77#b7 of the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ageh7;a77#b77 is amended by striking subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 and inserting the following3 7,a7 ,in general ,lunches served by schools participating in the school lunch program under this ,act-- 7i7 shall offer students a variety of fluid milk1 which may include 7at the school's option7 low-fat and fat-free milk4 ,such milk shall be offered with each lunch in amounts consistent with recommendations in the most recent ,dietary ,guidelines for ,americans published under section #cja of the ,national ,nutrition ,monitoring and ,related ,research ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ecda72 7ii7 may offer students flavored and unflavored fluid milk 7including low-fat flavored milk that contains no more than #aej calories per #h-ounce serving7 and lactose-free fluid milk2 and 7iii7 shall provide a substitute for fluid milk for students whose disability restricts their diet1 on receipt of a written statement from a licensed physician that identifies the disability that restricts the student's diet and that specifies the substitute for fluid milk4 7,b7 ,substitutes 7i7 ,standards for substitution ,a school may substitute for the fluid milk provided under subparagraph 7,a7 a nondairy beverage that is nutritionally equivalent to low-fat and fat-free fluid milk and meets nutritional standards established by the ,secretary 7which shall1 among other requirements to be determined by the ,secretary1 include fortification of calcium1 protein1 vitamin ,a1 vitamin ,d1 magnesium1 phosphorus1 potassium1 riboflavin1 and vitamin ,b-#ab7 for students who cannot consume fluid milk because of a medical or other special dietary need other than a disability described in subparagraph 7,a77iii74 7ii7 ,notice ,the substitutions may be made if the school notifies the ,state agency that the school is implementing a variation allowed under this subparagraph1 and if the substitution is requested by written statement of a medical authority or by a student's parent or legal guardian that identifies the medical or other special dietary need that restricts the student's diet1 except that the school shall not be required to provide beverages other than beverages the school has identified as acceptable substitutes4 7iii7 ,excess expenses borne by school food authority ,expenses incurred in providing substitutions under this subparagraph that are in excess of expenses covered by reimbursements under this ,act shall be paid by the school food authority4 4 #d4 ,fluid milk and competing beverages ,section #aj7;b77#a77;,c7 of the ,child ,nutrition ,act of #aiff 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aggi7;b77#a77;,c77 is amended-- 7#a7 in clause 7i71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in clause 7ii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7iii7 provide that containers of all beverages sold in schools have the same maximum volume4 4 #e4 ,evaluation of school milk trends 7a7 ,study ,the ,secretary of ,agriculture 7hereafter referred to in this ,act as the ,secretary7 shall carry out a study of recent trends in fluid milk consumption in schools1 which shall include-- 7#a7 consideration of factors that may adversely affect consumption1 including student preferences for types of milk1 changes in average daily participation in meal programs1 the types of milk offered1 conditions within the school affecting consumption of milk1 and other factors determined to be relevant by the ,secretary2 7#b7 assessment of each ,federal program under which milk is offered in schools2 7#c7 review of scientific studies pertinent to school milk consumption2 and 7#d7 consultation with school food service professionals1 nutritionists1 and other scientific experts1 proprietary and cooperative fluid milk processors1 and national and ,state research and promotion programs for fluid milk and dairy products4 7b7 ,report ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report that shall-- 7#a7 include the results of the study required under subsection 7a72 7#b7 include recommendations1 if any1 for actions by the ,department of ,agriculture1 the ,states1 schools1 and the private and non-profit sectors to increase milk consumption in schools2 and 7#c7 take into account the work of school-based nutrition education programs that have been shown to increase average daily participation in the ,national ,school ,lunch ,program1 including the ,fuel ,up to ,play #fj program sponsored by the ,national ,dairy ,council and the ,national ,football ,league4 #f4 ,fluid milk promotion 7a7 ,pilot program ,beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act the ,secretary1 acting through the ,commodity ,credit ,corporation1 shall carry out a pilot program to test and demonstrate effective1 affordable1 and sustainable strategies by which schools can increase the consumption of fluid milk4 7b7 ,program elements ,the pilot program shall-- 7#a7 provide grants1 as determined by the ,secretary1 that compensate schools participating in the pilot program for any increased costs resulting from such participation2 7#b7 assess the effectiveness of offering milk in a variety of school venues1 which may include breakfast in the classroom1 enhanced products for a la carte sales1 offering products in athletic facilities1 and other venues as determined by the ,secretary2 and 7#c7 assess the effectiveness of improved refrigeration1 more attractive packaging and merchandising1 and additional flavors4 7c7 ,termination ,the pilot program shall terminate #d years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 7d7 ,report ,not later than #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall submit a written report to ,congress summarizing the findings and results of the pilot program4 #g4 ,lactose-free milk ,the ,secretary shall1 to the extent practicable1 make available to schools lactose-free milk with an extended shelf life in #h-ounce containers under section #ad of the ,richard ,b4 ,russell ,national ,school ,lunch ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #agfb;a74 #h4 ,milk choice for women1 infants1 and children ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 if available evidence 7including relevant reports from the ,national ,academies of ,sciences1 ,engineering1 and ,medicine7 indicates that women and children participating in the ,special ,supplemental ,nutrition ,program for ,women1 ,infants1 and ,children under section #ag of the ,child ,nutrition ,act of #aiff 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aghf7 typically consume fewer than the number of daily servings of dairy recommended in the most recent ,dietary ,guidelines for ,americans published under section #cja of the ,national ,nutrition ,monitoring and ,related ,research ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ecda71 the ,secretary shall ensure that women have access to reduced fat 7#b percent7 milk for themselves and their children #bd-months old and older in accordance with the amounts prescribed for fluid milk under section #bdf4aj7;e77#aj7 of title #g1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 after presentation of a written request to the ,secretary by such participant4 #i4 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act or the amendments made by this ,act shall be construed to alter the proclamation of the ,secretary of ,agriculture dated ,may #a1 #bjag1 and titled ,,usda ,commitment to ,school ,meals4