HJR 24-FED. SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM/MILITARY 1:19:38 PM CHAIR GATTO announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 24, Urging the United States Congress and the United States Department of Agriculture to extend the basic housing allowance exclusion to all military families for purposes of the school nutrition program. 1:19:54 PM DANA STROMMEN, Staff to Representative Jay Ramras, Alaska State Legislature, presented HJR 24 on behalf of Representative Ramras, prime sponsor. She explained the resolution urges Congress and the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend the basic housing allowance exclusion to all military families for the purposes of the school lunch program. This would enable military families that live off of the base to qualify for school nutrition programs. Because families living off of the base receive an additional basic allowance for housing (BAH), many families do not quality for [free] school lunches; however, this is an opportunity to ensure our military families do not have to suffer hardships while a military member is defending our country. 1:20:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE RAMRAS added that Josh Tempel, staff to Senator Huggins, just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. He expressed his hope that by passing this resolution through both bodies, the legislature can request regulatory changes through the USDA to allow children of NCOs, and other military families, to quality for the free and reduced price school breakfast and lunch program. 1:22:14 PM DEAN HAMBURG, Chair, Public Policy and Legislation, Alaska School Nutrition Association, stated he was representing members who work in school meal programs all across Alaska. He also serves as administrator for the school meal programs in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. Mr. Hamburg noted his service as a veteran, and expressed his appreciation of the committee's consideration of HJR 24. He relayed a short history of the USDA school meal program that was instituted in 1946 under President Truman. The school lunch programs were established as a military support to nutritionally prepare children for military service; in fact, benefits of the program were also seen in the classroom. Mr. Hamburg opined that extending this benefit to the children of military families is an appropriate action. Alaska children at military bases throughout Alaska will benefit and appreciate the support offered by HJR 24. Mr. Hamburg related some of the challenges to military families in Alaska and assured the committee the school lunch programs are ready to welcome military family children to the lunch programs. The Alaska School Nutrition Association strongly supports the passage of HJR 24. 1:26:18 PM CHAIR GATTO thanked Mr. Hamburg for his naval service. 1:26:57 PM BARBARA BACHMEIER informed the committee she was a retired army officer and a former public school teacher. She expressed her support for HJR 24 and pointed out the importance of ensuring that all military children have every opportunity to excel. She listed some of the difficulties of military life and the additional demands of parenthood. There are 1.8 million children living in military families, thus state and federal legislators must make them a priority. Regarding this resolution, she stated 1.2 million children between birth and 23 years of age are dependents of regular component service personnel, and over 713,000 children are dependents of reserve members. Furthermore, the average military child attends between six and nine schools before grade 12, and there are some problems when children transfer to new schools. Ms. Bachmeier opined in this instance, the military does not take care of its own. Nutritious, healthful meals have been proven to enhance academic and behavioral performance. 1:30:39 PM MS. BACHMEIER presented data regarding children who suffer from poor nutrition. She concluded that allowing military families to rely on food stamps is a "abrogation of our responsibilities to let this reality go on," and urged for a legislative remedy. 1:31:31 PM AMY ROUSE, Director, Nutrition Services, Fairbanks Northstar Borough School District, stated that in her experience with the Northstar School District in Fairbanks she deals with an extraordinary number of military families. During the meal application process last fall, there was an increase in contacts from military families whose children were denied school meals. For example, because the housing allowance is counted as income, there are families whose military members have the same rank, yet one family will qualify for school meals, and another will not. The issue will be compounded as of January 2009, when all installation housing will be turned over to private ownership; this means all families will be receiving housing allowances monetarily. Furthermore, the U.S.D.A. does not count the housing allowance equally, creating "[the] appearance of treating people unfairly." Ms. Rouse encouraged the committee to endorse HJR 24. 1:35:15 PM CHAIR GATTO acknowledged the receipt of Ms. Rouse's letter of support for the resolution. 1:35:43 PM EDDY JEANS, Director, School Finance and Facilities Section, Department of Education and Early Development (EED), confirmed that the housing allowance received by military families prevents them from qualifying for free and reduced school meals. He pointed out that there is no fiscal note from his department on this resolution because there is additional federal reimbursement for cost. 1:36:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE RAMRAS thanked the department for its preparation. 1:37:12 PM CHAIR GATTO closed public testimony on HJR 24. 1:37:32 PM REPRESENTATIVE RAMRAS moved to report HJR 24, 26-LS0710\A, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HJR 24 was reported from the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.