Michelle Obama versus GOP on School Lunch
COSTELLO: Tomorrow the House Appropriations Committee will vote on a bill that would revamp part of the 2010 Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act to keep part of Michelle Obama's pledge to fight childhood obesity since she moved into the White House. The Republican-backed proposal would make several big changes to the law and that had prompted the First Lady to go on the offensive. Athena Jones joins me now from Washington with more. Good morning Athena.</s>ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. This is really interesting we're seeing the First Lady get publicly involved in a political fight for really the first time. This goes beyond urging young people to sign up -- excuse me for health insurance. She's taking a position on a legislative debate that's ongoing and over this issue she's been passionate about. Children and healthy eating.</s>MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: It's unacceptable to me not just as First Lady but as a mother.</s>JONES (voice over): Fighting words from the First Lady sending a message to House Republicans who want to relax school nutrition standards she fought for four years ago.</s>OBAMA: The last thing that we can afford to do right now is play politics with our kids' health especially when we're finally starting to see some progress on this issue.</s>JONES: It's part of a rare political push by Mrs. Obama to battle a bill that would give schools facing financial problems an extra year to comply with rules to limit fat and sodium and encourage more fruits and vegetables in school meals. The Mom-in-Chief is known for her Let's Move campaign against childhood obesity, her White House garden and her focus on healthy eating. But she hasn't waded into the political fights at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue until now.</s>OBAMA: Parents have a right to expect that their kids will get decent foods in our schools and we all have a right to expect that our hard earned taxpayer dollars won't be spent on junk food for our kids.</s>JONES: Supporters of the legislation say some school districts are struggling to find cheap, healthy options and need more time to make sure kids will eat the healthier foods, not just throw them away.</s>JULIA BAUSCHER, SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION: So we're not saying let's put junk food back on the serving line. For most districts that hasn't been part of the school meal in many, many years. But we want to make sure that students are comfortable with these changes and are willing to take what's offered to them and will find it acceptable and enjoyable.</s>JONES: And so as you mentioned there at the top, this bill is set to go to the full House Appropriations Committee tomorrow. And we expect the First Lady to stay involved in this fight. As long as the current nutrition standards are under threat, we'll probably be hearing more from her -- Carol.</s>COSTELLO: All right Athena Jones reporting live from Washington this morning. President Obama's speech on foreign policy expected to get under way soon at West Point. Our special coverage after a break.