NEW YORK, NY August 12, 2009 —Congress is set to decide whether or not to renew the Child Nutrition Act this fall. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn are urging lawmakers to renew the school lunch program. Quinn says providing healthy food in New York's public schools is a health and financial issue.

QUINN: If we allow the epidemic of childhood obesity to continue, we'll see the rates of diabetes skyrocket. The rates of corresponding health problems skyrocketing. And those children they're gonna end up in our public hospital emergency rooms.

Quinn says if we don't pay for it up front, we'll pay for it later. But, Quinn and Gilibrand say they want the bill changed, to increase the city's reimbursement rate for meals or allowing more New York City children access to free meals.