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Floor Speech

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Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, today I rise to ask unanimous consent that the Senate pass H.R. 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act.

But before I start talking, I just want to take a quick drink of this superdelicious milk.

Here is to the dairy farmers of Kansas and across the entire country.

Now, a fun fact: Besides water, milk is the only beverage allowed here on the Senate floor. And, as you all know, milk is the most delicious, most nutritious wholesome drink known to humankind. There is nothing that has ever been made anything like it.

Now, milk is pretty special to me, and you might ask why. And it is pretty simple.

My dad grew up on a dairy, where they milked Holstein cows every morning, every day of the year, 365 days a year. And I remember, all the way through high school, my grandma still milking cows.

When your grandma milks cows, you get to have milk for breakfast, for lunch, for supper. Even in school, we got to have milk and a little snack at 10 a.m., and I was one of the lucky kids who got two cartons of milk every lunch.

And I just learned--I didn't know this. I just assumed that this is what everyone was doing--that if you didn't leave whole milk out for Santa Claus, then he wouldn't leave you presents.

Now, whole milk helps to keep growing kids and adults healthy and strong because it has 13 essential nutrients packed into one drink. And because of the fat content, specifically in whole milk, it promotes the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Now, as an obstetrician, I can't stress enough the importance of drinking whole milk during pregnancy. It helps you have healthy babies. It helps with breastfeeding. It helps us all to grow strong bones.

Now, science has also shown that milk consumption provides additional positive health outcomes. It lowers blood pressure. It reduces risk of cardiovascular disease and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.

As medical costs skyrocket and the obesity epidemic worsens, I rise today to set the record straight: Milk is part of the solution; it is not part of the problem.

Now, many fingers have been pointed at the dairy industry, and millions of lobbying dollars have been invested in making lawmakers believe that milk is the enemy. Anti-dairy policies have resulted in decreased milk consumption and, ironically, in an increase in negative health outcomes.

In fact, the most recent ``Dietary Guidelines for Americans'' cites calcium, potassium, and vitamin D as three of the top four underconsumed nutrients that Americans are deficient in. Well, guess what is rich in those same nutrients? Well, of course, it is milk. All of those deficiencies can be resolved with an increase in milk consumption, and that is why I recommend at least a glass of whole milk every day.

No other food or drink has the ability to pack that kind of nutritional punch--none. But, sadly, over a decade ago, this misinformed Chamber voted to remove whole milk from our Nation's schools, and now we are facing the consequences. Because we are not encouraging our children to drink milk, we have a generation of young men and women who are going to have osteopenia and osteoporosis 10 to 15 years earlier than their predecessors.

Now, let me reiterate: Preventable diseases will occur more frequently as a consequence of a Federal Government overreaction that is based on obsolete research--research which corrects modern nutritional science and discourages healthy eating habits for children.

Today, we can right this wrong and bring back nutritious whole milk to our children's lunchtime. Let's bring back this tasty and nutritious option.

Whole milk has a litany of health benefits to offer our children. And did I mention that it tastes great? The benefits of whole milk can't be overlooked and certainly not substituted with skim milk or 1 percent, and certainly not by artificially flavored milk that is loaded with empty calories.

Bringing more healthy options back to school cafeterias is a slam dunk for American families, and delivering this to the President's desk before Christmas would help promote the consumption of healthy fats that help kids grow physically and cognitively. It supports American farmers and ranchers and promotes a brighter, stronger future for us all.

Milk--it is what is for lunch.

1147, which was received from the House and is at the desk; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
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