Food bill reintroduced in D.C.

A bill that would provide low-income schoolchildren with food to take home during weekends and holiday vacations has been reintroduced in Congress.

Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., submitted the bill before the U.S. House recessed Thursday for a two-week break. She has scheduled an event Thursday at the Three Square food bank in Las Vegas to promote it.

The Weekends Without Hunger Act would start a federal test program to provide schools and local anti-hunger groups with additional food to distribute to children who already qualify for free or reduced-cost school breakfasts and lunches.

Nonprofits in about 150 cities including Las Vegas operate weekend feeding programs in which children are given backpacks or bags of food to take home on Fridays, but sponsors say their reach is limited to a fraction of the need.

“There is currently no federal child nutrition program to meet the needs of the children with the lowest food security on the weekends or during extended holidays,” Titus said. “Vacation from school should not mean hunger for children.”

The House passed a similar Titus bill in December 2010, too late in the session for it to be considered in the U.S. Senate.