Brown pushing for more fresh foods in schools

Sen. Sherrod Brown has joined a bipartisan group to push a bill aimed at getting more fresh, locally grown foods in schools across the nation.

Brown, D-Ohio, this month joined Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, David Perdue, R-Georgia, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, in introducing a bill that would expand the farm-to-school program for school-aged children.

The bill would raise the program’s authorized level from $5 million to $15 million, increasing the maximum grant award to $250,000.

The program is admin- istered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and authorizes federal grants to help schools across the country plan and implement farm-to-school programs. But grant applications have exceeded the funding available, with USDA receiving more than 1,900 applications requesting over $141 million since 2013.

Reps. Marcia Fudge, D-Cleveland, and Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nebraska, have introduced a companion bill in the House. youth migrant shelter operator.

Ryan said he left the center with more questions than when he arrived.

“We are spending $750 Ohio’s two senators a child and there is no real weren’t the only ones visaccountability of where that iting the border last week. money goes,” he said. “The

Rep. Tim Ryan, a Niles level of trauma these kids Democrat who is running for have is real and persistent. president, visited the Home- We need a comprehensive stead Emergency Influx Care trauma-informed care profacility last week with Dem- gram that addresses what ocratic colleagues from the they are going through.” House Appropriations ComHe said he was further mittee. troubled by the fact that

The migrant child detenwhen the children turn 18, tion center in Homestead, they are shackled by ICE and Florida is the largest in oper- removed from the center. ation for migrant children “There is absolutely no in the United States, hous- reason why a kid who is 17 ing boys and girls ages 13-17 years old one day and 18 who have arrived in the counyears old the next should try without their parents or suddenly be treated like a legal guardians. More than criminal,” he said. “We need 2,000 migrant children are to get children out of these at the Homestead detention facilities immediately and center, and according to the reunite those separated with U.S. Department of Health their families.” and Human Services, the average daily cost to care for a child at an influx facility is about $750 a day.

The facility is run by Comprehensive Health Services, the nation’s only for-profit

Ryan: Trip to border raises more questions Portman introduces energy efficiency bill

Sens. Rob Portman and Jeanne Shaheen last week introduced a bill aimed at improving energy efficiency Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia and Michael Bennet D-Colorado. in buildings, industrial and the federal government.

The bill uses a variety of low-cost tools to incentivize the use of commercially available technologies to make buildings more energy efficient.

Portman, an Ohio RepubSen. Sherrod Brown last lican, and Shaheen, a New week signed onto two bills Hampshire Democrat, argue that aim to close the pay gap the bill will help the United between men and women States transition to a more in professional and amaenergy-efficient economy teur sports. while drivi ng economic Brown signed onto cospongrowth and private-sector sor a bill that would prohibit job creation. the use of federal funds for

Components of an earlier the 2026 World Cup, unless energy efficiency bill were the United States Soccer Fedsigned into law by President eration provides equitable Obama in April 2015. pay to the members of the

According to the U.S. U.S. Women’s National Team. Energy Information AdminisSen. Joe Manchin, D-West tration, residential and com- Virginia, introduced the bill. mercial buildings accounted Brown, a Democrat, also for about 40% of total U.S. signed onto a bill that would energy consumption in 2018. clarify the Ted Stevens OlymAccording to Portman’s pic and Amateur Sports Act office, reports from the U.S. to require equitable pay for Department of Energy have female athletes in amateur found that the federal govathletics. The bill would add ernment is the largest sin- new reporting requirements gle energy consumer in the for national sports governcountry. ing bodies to report athlete

The bill is cosponsored by pay, and provide an annual Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, report to Congress on athChris Coons, D-Delaware, lete pay.

Brown works to close pay gap in sports

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