Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) signs bills to ban some food dyes from food served to schoolchildren.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Well, good morning.
00:05Welcome to the Patrick Henry building.
00:07How many of you, this is your first time in the building?
00:10Raise your hands high.
00:11Well, you're here for a very, very good, there's going to be a good first experience for you.
00:16Thank you so much for joining us on this exciting occasion.
00:19Please stand with me and welcome the governor, the first lady and the lieutenant governor.
01:38Okay, let's do it.
01:51I'm Janet Kelly.
01:52I'm the secretary of health.
01:53You may be seated.
01:54I'm Janet Kelly, the secretary of health and human resources for governor Yonk and I'm
01:59so honored to be joined on stage by these distinguished speakers and my colleagues,
02:04the secretary of education, Amy Godera, and the secretary of agriculture and forestry
02:15Matt Lohr.
02:22Something that is a testament to how important this legislation is, is how many elected officials
02:27we have in the room.
02:28So I'm going to save your applause to the end because there are a lot of you, but joining
02:32us here this morning in addition to the speakers that we will hear from in a minute are Senator
02:37Tara Durant, Delegate David Owen, Delegate Kerry Coyner, Delegate Mark Early, Delegate
02:44Eric Phillips, Delegate Paul Mildey, Delegate Ian Lovejoy, Delegate Tim Griffin, Delegate
02:49Oates, Delegate Higgins, Delegate Cherry, and Delegate Cordoza.
02:53Round of applause, please stand.
03:06Most of you are co-sponsors of this legislation as well, so thank you for all you did to get
03:10it across the finish line.
03:14I can tell you that every single morning, the governor, Mrs. Yonk and the LG, our whole
03:19team, get up every day to make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
03:24That is why you elected them.
03:26For today, Governor, though, I thought maybe it would be okay to insert one word, and that
03:32is we want to make Virginia the healthiest place to live, work, and raise a family.
03:42There are going to be a lot of well-deserved thanks going around the room today, but I'd
03:45like to start by specifically thanking the small group of moms who, together, followed
03:52the indisputable science and the only thing that might be stronger and more indisputable
03:58than science, which is mom's guts and common sense, in order to get this across the finish
04:03line.
04:12One mom, in particular, deserves a huge amount of credit, so please join me in thanking someone
04:19who has been a tireless advocate for a whole host of things and truly embodies the spirit
04:22of Virginia, Ruz Dadaboy.
04:38Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
04:44It is the only thing that ever truly has, according to Margaret Mead.
04:48The food industry says that they make what consumers ask for, and today, Virginians are
04:54sending a clear signal that we want healthier, safer options, especially when it comes to
05:00our children.
05:08This morning, we're going to hear from two champions of this bill.
05:10There were a lot of them.
05:11Senator Emily Jordan, from Isle of Wight, and Delegate Hillary Pugh-Kent, who represents
05:16all of the Northern Neck and parts of Caroline County, and the Virginia House of Delegates,
05:20so please join me in welcoming Delegate Pugh-Kent to the podium.
05:35Thank you all so much.
05:36Your remarks, Secretary, reminded me of something I didn't even have written, which is a great
05:42quote that says, all great change in America begins at the dinner table.
05:48Thank you, Ronald Reagan.
05:50Today is an amazing day for parents, for teachers, our children, and for the Commonwealth.
05:58The story behind this legislation is not the story of one five-year-old kindergarten boy.
06:04It's not the story of one 12-year-old seventh-grade girl.
06:08It's not the story of one mom sitting at the parent-teacher conference.
06:13It is the narrative that we have heard from across the Commonwealth, where students have
06:18been taking trips to the doctor because of physical and psychological reactions to artificial
06:23dyes in everyday food.
06:26As a mom, it's the story that I heard from my fellow moms at the backyard birthday party
06:32as parents discussed efforts to protect their children from the effects of a mirage of dyes
06:38in our foods.
06:40Parents are constantly trying to navigate the flood of opinions, advice, and news of
06:45the day from a multitude of sources.
06:49These particular seven food dyes that we are addressing don't have a health benefit.
06:54They merely exist to entice children to reach for a splash of color instead of a wholesome
06:59choice, a choice that should encourage focus and attention during our very valuable educational
07:07instructional time.
07:10Schools across the Commonwealth are already reading labels and making choices on the cafeteria
07:15menu.
07:16This soon-to-be law will put Virginia as a national leader alongside modern nutritional
07:23standards that will lead Virginia forward.
07:27In some countries, foods like Fruit Loops are colored with fruit and vegetable juice,
07:32including watermelon juice and carrot juice, but a student's cereal choice in Virginia
07:38schools doesn't have vegetables.
07:41It instead includes four artificial dyes known to cause hyperactivity, among other symptoms.
07:49I am grateful in our school cafeterias in Virginia that will soon change.
07:56In situations around the state, the food in the school cafeteria may be the only nutrition
08:09that a student receives that day, and now we will fuel them to learn instead of fueling
08:15students with yellow-dyed chips and red-dyed frosted cupcakes.
08:19By eliminating artificial dye, schools in Virginia will set a standard for healthy eating
08:24habits that students will have beyond the classroom and that parents support.
08:30As is often said, raising a child takes a village, parents, grandparents, neighbors,
08:37aunts, teachers, and the same could be said about passing legislation.
08:42It takes bipartisan effort, teamwork.
08:45This legislation was championed by parents and professionals around the state, and I
08:50want to thank them and the community leaders.
08:53I'd like to give a very special thank you to our friends with Rally Virginia.
09:07They truly rallied the General Assembly.
09:10Thank you to my colleagues in the House and in the Senate for their bipartisan support
09:16as parents demonstrated our children are not partisan.
09:21Thank you so much, Governor Youngkin, the First Lady, for your leadership and all that
09:26you do, and now it is my privilege to welcome my colleague in the General Assembly and my
09:32fellow mom, Senator Emily Jordan.
09:46What a great day to be in the Commonwealth, is it not?
09:50Today is going to be about healthy families in Virginia and what we can do to be better
09:55in our schools.
09:56A special thank you also to the Rally Virginia ladies and all the moms, dads, parents, and
10:01caretakers that decided to step up for our children and voice their concerns.
10:06Thank you, and you deserve a round of applause.
10:14So I never thought I'd stand before you on this stage because oftentimes we say, don't
10:18California, my Virginia, but Virginia will be the second state in the nation to sign
10:24this legislation into law, to have the backs of our children, to make sure that what we
10:28put in their stomachs is healthy in schools, and that is something to be very proud of.
10:39But we have to wonder sometimes how we got here.
10:41So 35 years ago in 1990, the FDA decided to ban red number three in cosmetics, and we
10:48have to ask ourselves why it took 35 years to stand on this stage to talk about healthy
10:54children.
10:55If we wouldn't put it on our faces, we shouldn't put it in the stomachs of our children.
11:05But today is a great day.
11:06Not only are we handling red 40, which everybody talks about, we're going to handle seven different
11:11harmful dyes that cause every single issue from behavioral health issues to attention
11:17and lack of focus in the classroom.
11:19We want to make sure that every child that goes to school in this commonwealth starts
11:23with a basis of health in the morning and powering throughout the school day to make
11:27sure they can put their education, not their health, and their health first in this commonwealth.
11:38We wouldn't be here today, though, if it wasn't for so many moms and dads that decided that
11:43putting their children's health and reading the labels and calling out companies that
11:48don't do right by our children mattered.
11:50And I'm so very proud to know so many of you in this room that decided to do just that
11:54and put your children first.
11:56Also to our partners, thank you to all of our secretaries, Secretary Lohr, Secretary
12:02Guderian, Secretary Kelly, for your steadfast leadership in making sure that we can get
12:06this across the finish line and make sure that it's doable in our commonwealth.
12:10Who we work with and who we partner with matters, and we could not ask for better partners
12:15in education, agriculture, and health and human services than these three right here.
12:25And certainly, last but not least, you can't do this without great partners like Delegate
12:29Pukint, but also an incredible First Lady, Suzanne Yunkin, and our Governor, Glenn Yunkin,
12:34for having the courage to sign this legislation today.
12:44With that, I was proud to be the sponsor of the Senate legislation, but really, I'm just
12:48a mom on a mission with all the ladies that are here today.
12:52And with that, another mom that has been a fighter in the trenches, has been a warrior
12:57on the dais from our Senate, who is a Marine and shows it steadfastly every single day
13:02in our chamber, even sometimes use a heel to gavel in when she can't find her gavel,
13:08and is truly a fighter for families and children in our commonwealth, our Lieutenant Governor
13:14Winsome Earl Sears.
13:39Thank you all very much.
13:40That was so wonderful of you.
13:42Well, hello to you too.
13:46You know, as we gather here today, we mark a significant step forward for the health
13:52and well-being of Virginia's children.
13:55I'm reminded of this passage, and it's Psalm 136 and 25, and this is what it says.
14:01He gives food to every creature his love endures forever.
14:06And I'm thinking that the food that they were talking about was good food.
14:11It was healthy food.
14:12It was nutritional food.
14:15And you know, we're lacking that, and that's why we're here today.
14:20These verses are very powerful, and they talk about not just growing our children in their
14:24body and their mind, but also of their spirit.
14:28So we are living today in a time when there are so many chemicals in our foods, and we're
14:34removing the barriers to their health and stepping boldly into responsibly feeding our
14:40school children food that harms, no, food that helps their development.
14:46We are choosing to protect, folks, what is precious.
14:49We are choosing love in action.
14:52You know, I am thoroughly convinced that by not ingesting these foods, these harmful chemicals,
14:59you know, we have burgers that refuse to disintegrate.
15:03Even mold will not grow on them five years later.
15:07We also have cosmetics, as you've heard, although 30 some years ago, they were deemed harmful.
15:13Some of them, these dyes are still with us.
15:16They harm even our hair products.
15:18And now, we're learning of microplastics.
15:23Yes, and what we have to do to get rid of them.
15:25So, with the signing of House Bill 1910 and Senate Bill 1289, we are taking bold,
15:32common sense, common sense approach to ensuring that the school meals our children have are free from these synthetic food dyes.
15:41And they've been linked to cancer-causing allergic reactions.
15:45And we wonder, why are the children so hyperactive nowadays?
15:49They weren't, you know, when we were in schools.
15:51And yes, food either helps or harms, one of the two.
15:56So, I'm offering my heartfelt thanks today to Senator Jordan,
16:04formerly delegate, and now Delegate Pugh, and of course, Governor and the Secretariat.
16:09Thank you all very much for being a part of this.
16:12And of course, those in our audience who voted for this, in fact, unanimously.
16:17Thank you all very much.
16:19Yes.
16:25And yes, I, too, want to make sure that we give credit where credit is due.
16:30And we want to start with honoring you all from Raleigh.
16:33Thank you all.
16:34Raleigh, Virginia, you rallied us, absolutely.
16:41Parents, you stood up, you showed up, you spoke out,
16:46you brought science into the spotlight.
16:48And you reminded that we must protect, again, the health of our children.
16:51You've heard me already say at least three times, four times now,
16:55the health of our children, it's important.
16:58We need, of course, to continue the fight because we've still got other things in our food.
17:02And like you, I do love my snacks.
17:05And, you know, I know I ate a few just the other day.
17:09And I said to myself, you know, this is not good for you.
17:12But still, still, here I am.
17:14So I know it.
17:17We have the convenience of these snacks.
17:19And they have long shelf life.
17:21It's not good.
17:23And just to give you some facts, the Cleveland Health Clinic has warned that red dye 40,
17:29one of the most commonly used in school snacks, has been linked to behavioral changes.
17:34And in another published by the Henry Ford Health Institute, they found clear,
17:40clear associations between synthetic dyes and potential cancer-causing compounds.
17:46And even more concerning, ladies and gentlemen,
17:50a comprehensive review from the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
17:55Psychiatry and Ohio State Health and Discovery concluded that children with ADHD or other
18:04behavioral challenges are especially vulnerable to the effects of artificial colors.
18:11So as these studies show us time and time again, these additives are not simply harmless ingredients.
18:18No, they are chemical compounds.
18:22They are chemical compounds.
18:24I'll say that, chemical compounds that affect learning, development, and life health outcomes.
18:32And that is why today's action matters so much.
18:35And it is my honor, honor here to bring forward to you, and please stand,
18:42someone who is so instrumental to this fight.
18:45And it is our 74th governor, Glenn Youngkin.
19:07Well, good morning.
19:08And now that you've gotten all of your deep knee bends in, thank you all.
19:12There's a lot to celebrate today.
19:14I want to start with the primary purpose for why we are here.
19:19And that primary purpose is sitting around the room.
19:22And I want to thank every single young person that is here,
19:26who's taken time to be with us today.
19:29As we go to work for you yet again,
19:31would you all please stand up so we can give you a round of applause.
19:47Isle of Wight Elementary School.
19:49Petersburg Middle School.
19:50Vernon Jordan, I think is here.
19:52Vernon Jordan School is here.
19:53King George High School.
19:55Nutritional teams from Isle of Wight and Waynesboro.
19:58Students who are leading the future farmers of America,
20:02who we see all over the place.
20:08Thank you for coming.
20:10I want to just add a thanks and just rearrange the seating up here.
20:15And Ruz, you should be up here with us.
20:17And so Ruz the attaboy, come on, come on.
20:20Come on, why don't you sit right here.
20:22Right here.
20:24Come on, right there.
20:29If you haven't understood this, parents matter.
20:35Parents matter because parents have a fundamental right
20:39in the Commonwealth of Virginia to make decisions
20:41with regards to their children's education, upbringing, and care.
20:48And it is exactly that which we are celebrating today.
20:52That parents came together and said, we need healthier food.
20:58We care about the nutrition of our children.
21:02And we are going to get artificial food dyes out of their food.
21:09Amazing.
21:13I knew this was going to happen.
21:15One, because we have extraordinary patrons of both bills.
21:19And when these two women go to work, let me tell you, things happen.
21:23But I also knew it was going to happen because our administration jumped right in.
21:28And I want to thank our secretaries again and your entire team jumping in.
21:33And then I saw all of the co-patrons on the bills.
21:36And I said, wow, this is definitely going to happen.
21:39But really, at the end of the day, it wasn't until I saw women, moms in red jackets all
21:46over Capitol Square advocating, educating, informing, and making sure that these bills
21:56got through committee, made it to floors, received the right support.
22:01And before you know it, here we are for our very first formal bill signing of this entire
22:07legislative session, but I believe one of the most important bills we will sign during this
22:12administration, removing harmful artificial food dyes from our children's food in our schools.
22:20This is a big day.
22:28And it also speaks so clearly into a basic message.
22:35Yes, parents matter.
22:37Parents matter in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
22:40It's your voices that we go to work every day to reflect because there is one truth,
22:47that when you are engaged in your child's life fully, when you work with us to support
22:53the education of your children, the health and well-being of your children, the safety
22:59of your children, then we can collectively move mountains.
23:04That's also on full display today.
23:16What we know is that these artificial food dyes, these harmful chemicals that are injected
23:26into our food cause problems, real problems.
23:31And therefore, we are making a statement as well, no more.
23:36We are going to work to make sure that our children's food, the food that is served in
23:42our school cafeterias across the entire Commonwealth, are healthier, that represent an opportunity
23:51for our students to get engaged in that food delivery service from gardens on school campuses
23:59right to those tables, from our agriculture community that wants to supply healthy food
24:05to our children.
24:06That is also on full display today.
24:10This is a moment for us to again say that Virginia does not follow, we lead.
24:16We lead.
24:25We listen and we deliver.
24:29And that is what Virginia is all about.
24:33It is the spirit of Virginia, alive and well.
24:37I can't tell you how really humbled I am to see the gathering here, but also to know
24:45the work that went into bringing us here today.
24:48And it is all being done so that our children will have the greatest opportunity to fulfill
24:55their God-given destiny right here in the Commonwealth of Virginia and to do it healthily.
25:01And with that, I always say, when we get to the most important moment of the day, I
25:07ask, what time is it?
25:09It's time to go to work.
25:10Let's sign these bills.
25:15And I would love for all the kids to come up.
26:02Put your hand right here.
26:03Come on up.
26:04Put your hand right here.
26:04All right.
26:05Come on here.
26:09What's up?
26:10What's up?
26:12What's up, girls?
26:13That's cool.
26:14I like that.
26:15It's so good to see you.
26:16I'm just tired, my son.
26:18Huh?
26:19So tired.
26:20Don't you start talking to me.
26:21Yeah.
26:31So first of all, again, I want to thank everybody for coming.
26:56And really quickly, just for a quick civics moment,
27:00bills don't just come by themselves to me.
27:03They start with an idea from the people we work for and all of you.
27:07They go to a delegate and or a senator to get started.
27:11And they say, well, carry this bill.
27:13They have to go to a committee.
27:15And that delegate or senator has to defend the bill.
27:18And finally, it goes to, let's say, the House floor.
27:21And the House votes on that bill.
27:23And assuming they vote unanimously, yes, like they did for these, it goes over to the Senate.
27:28And once again, it goes back to a committee.
27:31And then the patrons have to, again, go defend the bill in front of that committee.
27:35And if it comes out of the committee, it goes then to the Senate floor.
27:39And if it passes unanimously like these today, it shows up here on my desk.
27:45And I have the great opportunity then to sign great bills.
27:49That is what we're up to today.
27:51And so thank you, everybody, for being part of this entire journey.
27:56You add to the original ideas.
27:58You sought out patrons.
28:00You showed up in community hearings.
28:02You walked the halls and advocated with General Assembly members.
28:06You showed up in our offices.
28:08A lot of you helped us understand all of the facts around these dangerous artificial diets.
28:17And so this is a moment not just for me to sign a bill, but for all of us to celebrate
28:22this amazing process.
28:24This process of passing important legislation that makes Virginia better.
28:29Because all of you are engaged.
28:32And so with that, thank you, Senator.
28:37My wife is saying, get on with it, honey.
28:41So here we go.
28:42So I'm going to start.
28:43There's two bills.
28:44One, of course, came through the House.
28:46And one came through the Senate.
28:48And so I have the privilege to be signing Senate Bill 1289, patroned by Senator Emily Jordan.
29:02This bill prioritizes the health and well-being of Virginia students by addressing the potential
29:08negative impacts of synthetic color additives that may be served in school meals.
29:13Public elementary and secondary schools will stop serving any food that contains any of
29:19the seven specific color additives, which are blue, green, red, and yellow.
29:25By signing this bill, which was brought to my desk through grassroots advocacy of moms
29:31and dads across the Commonwealth, we recognize that our schools play a critical role in fostering
29:36healthy houses.
29:38And this bill supports a safer and more nutritious school environment.
29:45By the way, do you know what synthetic color additives are?
29:49That's blue, red, and yellow.
30:07Okay, next Senate Bill 1289.
30:22Now I get to sign House Bill 1910.
30:28And the great thing about House Bill is it does the same thing that the Senate Bill does.
30:33It protects our children.
30:34It removes these dangerous artificial food dyes from food in our school cafeterias.
30:41It makes a very clear statement that we are for the safety and healthy lives that our children
30:48must have.
30:49And we also can foster those healthy habits and have a more nutritious school environment.
30:55Now I get to sign House Bill 1910.
31:03Ladies and gentlemen, this has been an exciting gathering.
31:14And I so look forward to continuing to work together to make Virginia not only the very
31:22best, but also the healthiest place to live.