Bills Promoting Physical Activity

Bills Promoting Better Nutrition

Bills to Improve Health by Changing Infrastructure

Addressing Obesity and Excess Weight
“Obesity Prevention, Treatment, and Research Act”
S. 1060; sponsor: Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
The bill aims to comprehensively prevent, treat and decrease overweight and obesity in the nation's populations. It calls for coverage of obesity-related services in the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP programs, and requires BMI (body mass index) screening in electronic health records.
http://bingaman.senate.gov/news/20090518-02.cfm

 “STOP Obesity in Schools Act”
H.R. 2044; sponsor: Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY)
The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a national strategy to reduce childhood obesity. It directs the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to offer local grants for anti-obesity initiatives, both short- and long-term. The bill also targets reducing childhood obesity rates by 10 percent by 2013.
http://lowey.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=18&sectiontree=17,18&itemid=232 (old press release, but nothing on website for new one)

 “Healthy Communities Act”
H.R. 3144; sponsor: Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA)
The bill promotes obesity prevention, including proper nutrition and exercise. It includes five-year grants to community partnerships to combat obesity, and $10 million in funding for 2010.
http://www.dahlkemper.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107&Itemid=45

 “Obesity Treatment and Wellness Act”
H.R. 3092; sponsor: Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA)
The bill would require states to cover medical nutrition therapy as a part of Medicaid. Coverage would be extended to treat or prevent the progression of a chronic disease linked to overweight or obesity.
http://www.dahlkemper.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109&Itemid=47
 “The Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes Prevention Access and Care Act”
H.R. 1995; sponsor: Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) / S. 844; sponsor: Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
The bill would increase obesity research and provide grants for health care professionals to be more involved in weight counseling and nutrition. It would amend the Public Health Service Act to extend diabetes-related care and reduce health disparities within racial and ethnic minority groups.  
Degette: http://degette.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=574:lautenberg-isakson-degette-castle-introduce-legislation-to-help-prevent-diabetes-in-minority-communities&catid=89:healthLautenberg: http://lautenberg.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=311746

Promoting Physical Activity
Reauthorization of the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001”
Every five years Congress reviews federal programs geared toward improving public elementary and secondary education. The “No Child Left Behind Act” was signed into law in 2002, establishing accountability and assessment standards for public schools.  Neither the House nor the Senate has yet passed a reauthorization of the NCLB law; amendments could promote physical activity and fitness standards for all students.   

 “The Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act” (IMPACT Act)
H.R. 2276; sponsor: Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA)
The bill would establish health services grants to improve nutrition and increase physical activity in children and adults as well as help prevent obesity and eating disorders.  The grants would also provide funding to train health professionals and health professional students on how to identify, treat or prevent eating disorders or obesity.
http://bono.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=125199

 “Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids (FIT Kids) Act”
H.R. 1585; sponsor: Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and S. 634; sponsor: Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
The bill would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to require state and local educational agency annual report cards to include information on school health and physical education programs. Schools would receive incentives for offering regular and quality physical education and activity and would be held to national standards.  The Department of Education would contract the National Academy of Sciences to study the relationship between physical education and students’ ability to learn and to make related recommendations.
Kind: http://www.kind.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=52&sectiontree=52&itemid=276
Harkin: http://harkin.senate.gov/pr/p.cfm?i=310064

“The Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act”
H.R. 2105; sponsor: Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI)
The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to qualify some payments for physical activity, fitness, and exercise as medical care for federal tax deductions. Deductions could include fitness center memberships, physical exercise programs, and exercise equipment.
 http://www.kind.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=52&sectiontree=52&itemid=311

“The Workforce Health Improvement Program (WHIP) Act of 2009”
H.R. 2106; sponsor: Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and S. 913; sponsor: John Cornyn (R-TX)
The bill would expand health and fitness incentives by allowing employees to use pre-tax dollars for exercise expenses. Employers would also be able to deduct the cost of subsidizing or providing fitness center benefits to employees.

“Healthy Workforce Act”
H.R. 1897; sponsor: Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and S. 803; sponsor: Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code to provide a tax credit to employers who offer employee wellness programs.  Employers would receive a 50 percent tax credit for the costs of a qualified employee wellness program as defined by the HHS.

Promoting Better Nutrition
“The Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act”
H.R. 1324; Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) and S. 934; sponsor: Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
The bill would amend the “Child Nutrition Act of 1966” to improve the health of school children by ensuring that the national school nutrition standards conform to current nutritional science.  

“Healthy Food Choices for Kids Act”
H.R. 2322; Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA)
The bill would amend the “National School Lunch Act” to establish a pilot program to teach students how to make healthy food choices and to post the nutritional content of foods served at schools.  

“Menu Education and Labeling (MEAL) Act”
H.R. 2426; Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and S. 1048; sponsor: Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
The bill would provide nutritional information on menus and menu boards at fast-food and other chain restaurants.  The bill would amend the “Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act” to extend the food labeling requirements of the “Nutrition Labeling and Education Act” to enable consumers to make informed choices about the nutritional content of standard menu items.

Improving Health by Changing Infrastructure
Reauthorization of the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act” (SAFETEA-LU).  
Every six years Congress reauthorizes transportation policy and funding levels.  We expect Congress to consider the reauthorization in 2010, and that support for Safe Routes to School, and other measures, will improve safe opportunities for physical activity.  

“Safe Routes to School Program Reauthorization Act”
S. 1156; sponsors: Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Susan Collins (R-ME)
The bill would make it easier for K-12 students to bike and walk to school through infrastructure changes such as improved sidewalks, traffic reduction and crossing areas. Funds are also set aside for program evaluation and research.