Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

121

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act''. SEC. 2. FOOD ALLERGY TRAINING COMPLETION REQUIREMENT.

Section 7(g)(2) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1776(g)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``(C) Food allergy training and certification for all local food service personnel.--

``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall develop, in consultation with relevant stakeholder groups with food allergy expertise, and publish training modules and other educational materials in accordance with clause (ii).

``(ii) Training modules.--A training program carried out under this subparagraph shall include training modules relating to--

``(I) the prevention of allergic reactions to food, which may include--

``(aa) communicating food allergen information in school menus, food products, and recipes;

``(bb) best practices to avoid cross-contact; and

``(cc) the availability of appropriate food substitutions for children with food allergies;

``(II) the identification of food-related allergic reaction symptoms; and

``(III) the appropriate responses to an allergic reaction to food.

``(iii) Certification of local personnel.--

``(I) In general.--In accordance with criteria established by the Secretary, local food service personnel shall complete training and receive a certification to demonstrate competence with respect to the training provided under clause (ii).

``(II) Treatment.--The Secretary may allow local food personnel to apply a certification received under this clause toward any other training requirements under this subsection.

``(iv) Methods for inclusion.--The training required under this subparagraph shall be provided, as the Secretary determines to be necessary, in--

``(I) relevant languages other than English, for individuals with limited English proficiency; and

``(II) relevant alternative formats, for individuals with disabilities (as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)).

``(v) Availability to other personnel.--The Secretary shall make the training provided under this subparagraph available to personnel under child nutrition programs not covered under this subsection, including personnel under--

``(I) the special milk program under section 3;

``(II) the summer food service program for children under section 13 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1761); and

``(III) the child and adult care food program under section 17 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1766).

``(vi) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subparagraph $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.''. SEC. 3. ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT WIC-ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY FOOD ALLERGIES.

Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786) is amended--

(1) by redesignating subsections (l) through (s) as subsections (m) through (t), respectively;

(2) by inserting after subsection (k) the following:

``(l) Activities to Support WIC-eligible Individuals Impacted by Food Allergies.--

``(1) In general.--In accordance with subsection (e), the Secretary shall--

``(A) submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for comment proposed nutrition education materials for use under subsection (e), which shall--

``(i) incorporate evidence-based findings from the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans relating to food allergies and potentially allergenic foods; and

``(ii) include nutrition education materials for--

``(I) individuals with food allergies during pregnancy and in the postpartum period;

``(II) infants impacted by prenatal food allergy exposure; and

``(III) children with food allergies; and

``(B) after submitting the materials in accordance with subparagraph (A), publish and disseminate the materials for use under subsection (e).

``(2) Requirements for inclusion.--

``(A) In general.--The nutrition education materials under paragraph (1) shall be provided, as the Secretary determines to be necessary, in--

``(i) relevant languages other than English for individuals with limited English proficiency; and

``(ii) relevant alternative formats for individuals with disabilities (as defined in section 3 of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102)).

``(B) Outreach.--In carrying out this paragraph, the Secretary shall conduct outreach to individuals who are, or may be--

``(i) eligible to participate in--

``(I) the program under this section; or

``(II) a training program of a State agency under subsection (e)(2); and

``(ii) impacted by food allergies.

``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subsection $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.'';

(3) in subsection (q) (as redesignated by paragraph (1))--

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``subsection (o)(1)(A)'' and inserting ``subsection (p)(1)(A)''; and

(B) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``subsection (o)(1)(A)'' and inserting ``subsection (p)(1)(A)''; and

(4) in paragraph (5) of subsection (t) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), by striking ``subsection (r)'' and inserting ``subsection (s)''. ______

By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Hirono, and Mr. Sanders):

S. 126. A bill to make individuals responsible for undermining free and fair democratic elections inadmissible to the United States; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

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Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, America must never become a safe haven for anyone who assaults the values for which this Nation stands--values like democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the sanctity of free and fair elections.

We already deny visas to those who are human traffickers, drug traffickers, money launderers, corrupt kleptocrats, and those who commit serious violations of religious freedom. I agree with that policy. We have passed laws to allow for the prosecution in U.S. courts of anyone who has committed war crimes or used children as soldiers in deadly conflict. I have written some of those policies, and I certainly agree with them.

Today, I am introducing legislation to further align our immigration system with our values as a nation. The bill I am introducing would prevent foreign officials who interfere with democratic elections or prevent the democratic transfer of power of their country from taking refuge in the United States.

In recent years, autocrats around the world have used a toxic brew of nationalism, authoritarianism, corruption, and social media to weaken and attack the very foundations of democracy. Fortunately, democracy is winning this battle. Much of the world is unified in support of Ukraine, for example, against Putin's attempt to seize the sovereign democratic nation of Ukraine, and we have the allies in the NATO alliance and others who stand with us with strength and formidable determination to stop Putin.

In late October, the people of Brazil--the largest democracy in Latin America--chose a new President to replace the increasingly authoritarian Jair Bolsonaro. After years of baseless lies by Bolsonaro about the integrity of Brazil's elections, polls show that three- fourths of his supporters no longer trust the electoral process in Brazil.

Sound familiar?

After Bolsonaro lost in October's Presidential election, his supporters turned to violence. They blocked highways throughout Brazil. Many called openly for the military to overturn the election.

Sound familiar?

And, on January 8, as Mr. Bolsonaro took selfies with his supporters in the State of Florida, thousands of his far-right supporters violently stormed Brazil's Presidential palace, Congress, and Supreme Court--breaking windows and injuring dozens of police officers.

Sound familiar?

It was a disgrace. It was an assault on democracy--not only in Brazil but an assault on democracy everywhere.

Under the bill I am introducing, if the Secretary of State determines a foreign official has interfered with free and fair elections or has sought to prevent the peaceful, democratic transfer of power, that official cannot escape justice by fleeing to the United States.

I ask my colleagues to join in supporting this important measure to hold those who interfere with democratic elections accountable. America should never be a safe haven for enemies of democracy.

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