In this week’s edition, as summer meals grow in popularity for hungry kids in the state, a clear funding and service shortage exists. In national news, Medicaid has positively impacted low-income children and adults, cost-shifting the program to states would impose an unfair burden to the poor, and the U.S. economy can’t survive without the program.

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Last Thursday the House of Representatives reauthorized federal child nutrition programs by passing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Like most good legislation, this bill has a lot of strengths and a few weaknesses.

The Act makes it easier to enroll low-income kids in free or low-cost school meals. It allows the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restrict junk food in schools. And it offers financial support to innovative programs like Farm to School. These are huge victories for kids.