Washington, D.C. – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), joined by Representatives Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Doris Matsui (CA-07), introduced the Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act (H.R. 9550), a bill that would require training of food personnel in schools on identifying, responding to, and preventing allergic reactions.
“As a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, protecting and supporting students when they are in the care of their schools is among my top priorities, and, with 25% of all first-time allergic reactions happening to children while at school, it’s clear we must do more to keep students safe,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “As we embark on a new school year, I’m proud to introduce this bill with Representatives Sherrill and Matsui to give schools the tools they need to prevent and treat allergic reactions so every child is safe eating in their school’s cafeteria.”
“Children and teenagers with food allergies should be safe when eating school lunch. That’s why I am proud to co-lead legislation to ensure school food personnel have the education and training necessary to prevent, identify, and respond to food-related allergic reactions. Many New Jerseyans are impacted by food allergies, and this legislation would make much needed investments to ensure all of our kids are happy, healthy, and safe at school,” said Rep. Sherrill.
“Better food allergy education and training empowers everyone,” said FARE CEO Sung Poblete, PhD, RN. “This legislation can help improve every child’s journey, whether an infant whose family embraces early introduction and food allergy prevention they learned about through WIC, or a food-allergic kid whose school cafeteria workers become more careful at lunchtime. Our community is grateful for the leadership of Reps. Mark DeSaulnier and Mikie Sherrill, as well as their staffs, for introducing the House version of the Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act.”
“The Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act will improve the lives of individuals and children living with food allergies,” said Paul Williams, MD, FAAAAI, President of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. “With 6 million children among the 33 million Americans with food allergies in the United States, training and educating food personnel in schools on food allergies will help prevent adverse reactions, including life threatening anaphylaxis. Education and outreach on food allergies in nutritional support programs will help address healthcare disparities. The AAAAI applauds the leadership of Congressman Mark DeSaulnier and urges Congress to move this forward.”
“It’s more important than ever that children with food allergies be protected while they are in school,” said allergist Gailen Marshall, MD, PhD, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “This bill is not just about preventing serious food allergy reactions by training food personnel about allergens. It also will help them to recognize when a child is having a serious reaction, and to respond immediately and appropriately. Because 25% of serious reactions occur in children who have not been previously diagnosed with a food allergy, school food personnel need better preparation. Passage of this bill will assist millions of children across the country who are vulnerable to food allergic reactions.”
“On behalf of the 4 million children in the United States with food allergies, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) thanks Rep. DeSaulnier for introducing the Protecting Children with Food Allergies Act. This legislation focuses on protecting children in school environments. Specifically, the bill requires training for school food personnel to prevent, identify, and respond to food-related allergic reactions. School food personnel must understand how to protect children with food allergies. Children spend seven hours or more each day in school and more than 15 percent of school-aged children with food allergies experienced a reaction in school. The training required by this bill can help prevent these reactions and save lives,” said Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
This legislation is supported by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE); American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI); American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP); American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI); Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA); and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and has been introduced in the United States Senate by Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).
Congressman DeSaulnier is a senior member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce