CNN news 2010-12-16 加文本

cnn news 2010-12-16

A federal judge has something to say about the health care reform law. You're going to find out what in today's broadcast. I'm Carl Azuz. cnn Student News starts right now!

First up, though, the federal government will have more of a say in some of the foods you get in school. President Obama signed a new law yesterday that will overhaul child nutrition standards. This is part of first lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" program, which aims to fight childhood obesity. During the signing ceremony at a Washington-area elementary school, the president said this law is about "giving our kids the healthy futures they deserve."

Here's some of what's in the new law; the ingredients of it, if you will: The government will have more authority to set standards for what's sold in vending machines on school grounds. Schools will have to meet government health guidelines. And poorer areas will get more money to help pay for free meals. All told, this bill comes with a price tag of $4.5 billion. Some Democrats didn't like the bill, because part of the money to pay for it was going to be taken out of other programs that help provide food to poorer Americans. There was also some concern about schools being able to pay for healthier foods. They'll be getting more money from the government in order to help make up those costs.

Meanwhile, a federal judge says that a main part of President Obama's health care reform law is unconstitutional. This is about the "individual mandate." What is the individual mandate? It's the part of the law that requires most Americans to buy health insurance by 2014, and if they don't buy it, they could be fined. This federal judge says "an individual's personal decision to purchase... health insurance... is beyond the historical reach of the U.S. Constitution." President Obama signed the health care reform bill into law back in March, and a lot of people say it's the biggest accomplishment of his time in office. Other judges have ruled that the individual mandate is constitutional, and the government is planning to appeal this week's ruling. The case could end up in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.