Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), lead sponsor of the Affordable Health Choices Act
Some Republicans have criticized the provision as a means to funnel money to liberal activist groups under the canopy of “community organizations,” whereby they will use the funds to promote big government health care but also monitor people’s eating and exercise regimens in the name of “healthy lifestyles.”
In the bill, the Affordable Health Choices Act, community transformation plans would be carried out using federal money and be overseen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC would distribute the money as well as coordinate the various state, local, and “community” entities responsible for carrying out the plans.
According to the bill, both state and local governments are eligible for the grants, as are “national networks of community-based organizations,” a group which is not defined in the bill.
Whichever type of group receives the funding, it must submit to the CDC director a plan for community transformation. As it states: “An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the [CDC] Director (for approval) a detailed plan that includes the policy, environmental, programmatic, and infrastructure changes needed to promote healthy living and reduce disparities.”(p. 383)
The transformation plans must include “activities” for all ages, beginning in public schools, which focus on eating healthy food, adequate amounts of physical activity, the “promotion” of healthy lifestyles or “any other chronic disease priority area identified by the grantee.”
The bill reads:
“Activities within the plan shall focus on (but not be limited to)— (i) creating healthier school environments, including increasing healthy food options, physical activity opportunities, promotion of healthy lifestyle and prevention curricula, and activities to prevent chronic diseases;
“(ii) creating the infrastructure to support active living and access to nutritious foods in a safe environment;
“(iii) developing and promoting programs targeting a variety of age levels to increase access to nutrition, physical activity and smoking cessation, enhance safety in a community, or address any other chronic disease priority area identified by the grantee.”
The transformation plans must also take action to promote certain “healthy options” at privately owned restaurants as well as “prioritizing strategies” to “reduce racial and ethnic disparities,” although the bill does not explain how racial and ethnic disparities figure in to community transformation.
The state, local, or community organization groups must also monitor the progress of their transformation plans among community members, measuring things such as weight loss, physical activity, and eating habits.
“In carrying out subparagraph A [the transformation plan], the eligible entity shall, with respect to residents in the community, measure – (i) decreases in weight; (ii) increases in proper nutrition; (iii) increases in physical activity; (iv) decreases in tobacco use prevalence,” as well as “ other factors as determined by the Secretary [of Health and Human Services].”
Armed with these reports, community transformers must report back to the CDC, as well as share their findings with each other at national and regional meetings, which are designed to communicate “best practices” for community transformation.
“An eligible entity shall annually submit to the Director a report containing an evaluation of activities carried out under the grant,” the legislation states.
“A grantee under this section shall – (A) meet at least annually in regional or national meetings to discuss challenges, best practices, and lessons learned with respect to [community transformation] activities,” reads the legislation.
The community transformation groups must then develop plans and training courses so that the government’s community transformation goals can be successfully implemented elsewhere.
How much the federal government plans to spend on transforming the nation’s communities was among the many details not included in the draft text.
While Democratic staffers told CNSNews.com that “community organizations” included things like the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club, Republican leaders said the proposal smelled like federal funding for ACORN, the controversial liberal activist group that has been dogged by allegations of election fraud.
“Every time our friends on the other side start talking about community organizations, we usually think ACORN, and they do to,” Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said at a press conference Wednesday outlining House Republicans’ alternative healthcare proposals.
“We’re not for empowering a lot of activists on the other side to go out and ask people how they’re feeling,” said Blunt. “That won’t solve any problems, and it’s not too hard these days to find some bill that has something to enhance the finances of ‘community organizations.’”