Speech on Senate Floor regarding Childhood Hunger Amendment 2702

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c042_069_020_001_tr.txt

Transcription (Scripto)

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Extent (Dublin Core)

8 Pages

File Name (Dublin Core)

c042_069_020_001

Title (Dublin Core)

Speech on Senate Floor regarding Childhood Hunger Amendment 2702

Description (Dublin Core)

Speech cards from Speech on Senate Floor regarding childhood hunger amendment S.2702

Date (Dublin Core)

undated

Date Created (Dublin Core)

2006

Congress (Dublin Core)

109th (2005-2007)

Topics (Dublin Core)

See all items with this valueHunger

See all items with this valueChildren--Nutrition--United States

See all items with this valuePoverty

Policy Area (Curation)

Agriculture and Food

Creator (Dublin Core)

Dole, Elizabeth Hanford

Record Type (Dublin Core)

speeches (documents)

Rights (Dublin Core)

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

Language (Dublin Core)

eng

Collection Finding Aid (Dublin Core)

https://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/index.php?p=collections/findingaid&id=343&q=

Physical Location (Dublin Core)

Collection 042, Box 69, Folder 20

Institution (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Archival Collection (Dublin Core)

Elizabeth Hanford Dole Senate Papers, 1995-2022

Full Text (Extract Text)

(1)
MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO CALL UP AMENDMENT #2702. THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT. MR. PRESIDENT, IN JUNE OF LAST (changed from "THIS PAST") YEAR I GAVE MY MAIDEN SPEECH ON THE ISSUE OF HUNGER. I BELIEVE NOW, JUST AS I DID THEN, THAT WE MUST MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ERADICATE THIS PROBLEM. IT IS THE SILENT ENEMY THAT LURKS IN TOO MANY AMERICAN HOMES. I AM NOT ONE TO DUCK TOUGH ISSUES. AND THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT I KNOW WE CAN CONQUER WITH BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WORKING TOGETHER. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AREAS WHERE ONE COULD FOCUS IN THIS EFFORT, AND THE AMENDMENT I SEND TO THE DESK REPRESENTS A GOOD FIRST STEP TOWARD STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM WHICH IS VERY

(2)
POPULAR AND EFFECTIVE.

UNDER THE CURRENT SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, CHILDREN FROM FAMILIES WITH INCOMES AT OR BELOW 130 PERCENT OF POVERTY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE MEALS. CHILDREN FROM FAMILIES WITH INCOMES BETWEEN 130 PERCENT AND 185 PERCENT OF POVERTY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REDUCED PRICE MEALS - CHARGING NO MORE THAN 40 CENTS PER MEAL. THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A NOMINAL AMOUNT, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM HEARING IN NORTH CAROLINA AND FROM FOLKS AROUND THE COUNTRY. TO QUOTE THE RESOLUTION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, "MANY FAMILIES IN THE REDUCED PRICE INCOME CATEGORY ARE FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO PAY THE REDUCED FEE AND, FOR SOME FAMILIES, THE FEE

(3)
IS AN INSURMOUNTABLE BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION."

SHARLYN LOGAN, THE CHILD NUTRITION SUPERVISOR FOR CUMBERLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS IN NORTH CAROLINA SAYS (following crossed out: - AND I QUOTE - )... "IN MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS, WE DAILY SEE CHILDREN WITH NO MONEY. MANY TIMES WE ALLOW THE CHILD TO EAT AND THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM TAKES A LOSS. WHEN THE PROBLEM PERSISTS, WE WILL PROVIDE A PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH AND MILK AT NO COST TO THE CHILD TO INSURE THEY RECEIVE SOME NUTRITIONAL SUSTENANCE. THIS MAY BE THE ONLY MEAL THEY RECEIVE." RECENTLY, I WAS WITH ("I was with" crossed out and replaced with "Mr. President, I spoke at) THE AMERICAN SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL BANQUET, WHERE THEY HAD MORE THAN ("THEY HAD" crossed out and replaced with "I was inspired by")

(4)
1000 ENTHUSIASTIC PEOPLE WHO HAVE DEVOTED THEIR CAREERS TO MAKING SURE THAT CHILDREN GET THE NUTRITION THEY NEED. YOU PROBABLY SAW THEM ON THE HILL WEARING THEIR BUTTONS THAT SAID "ERP" - (crossed out: WHICH STANDS FOR) ELIMINATE REDUCED PRICE. THEY ARE ON THE FRONT LINES ON THIS ISSUE, AND (inserted: they) HAVE TREMENDOUS PASSION. IT WAS AN EVENING THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET.

THEY WILL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THAT THESE INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES ARE INCONSISTENT WITH OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. FOR EXAMPLE, FAMILIES WHOSE INCOMES ARE AT OR BELOW 185% OF POVERTY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE BENEFITS THROUGH THE (inserted: WIC program) SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS

(5)
AND CHILDREN (crossed out: (WIC)). IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO HARMONIZE THESE INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES ALLOWING US TO CLARIFY THIS BUREAUCRATIC SITUATION. DOING SO WOULD ENABLE US TO IMMEDIATELY CERTIFY CHILDREN FROM WIC FAMILIES FOR THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH AND BREAKFAST PROGRAMS.

MORE THAN 500 STATE AND LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS HAVE PASSED RESOLUTIONS URGING THE CONGRESS TO ELIMINATE THE REDUCED PRICE CATEGORY, THEREBY EXPANDING FREE LUNCHES AND BREAKFASTS TO ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN WHOSE FAMILY INCOMES ARE AT OR BELOW 185% OF POVERTY. IN ADDITION, THE ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

(6)
PRINCIPALS, AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION HAVE ENDORSED THIS IDEA.

MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. FOR THIS REASON, I WAS PLEASED TO INTRODUCE, S. 1549, TO ELIMINATE THE REDUCED PRICE MEAL PROGRAM IN GRADUATED STEPS OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD. SINCE INTRODUCTION OF THIS LEGISLATION, COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE HAVE JOINED ME, AND TWO BILLS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THE AMENDMENT THAT I HAVE AT THE DESK DOES NOT PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE TOTAL ELIMINATION OF REDUCED PRICE MEALS OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD AS LAID OUT IN S. 1549. RATHER, IT WOULD ENABLE

(7)
THE SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE TO PERMANENTLY INCREASE THE ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINE FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS FROM 130% OF POVERTY TO 140% OF POVERTY - THE FIRST STEP OF THE GRADUATED APPROACH OUTLINED IN S. 1549 - WHEN THE COMMITTEE REAUTHORIZES THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS. OF COURSE, WE WILL STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO ELIMINATE THE REDUCED PRICE CATEGORY, BUT PROGRESS IS BETTER THAN STATUS QUO, ANY DAY.

HUNGER AND MALNOURISHMENT AMONG CHILDREN IS (crossed out and replaced with "- that's") A BATTLE THAT CAN BE WON. THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE, AND ENACTMENT OF THIS AMENDMENT WILL MARK THE FIRST STEP IN OUR CRUSADE TO STRENGTHEN THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM AND BEGIN TO ADDRESS A

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SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR MANY FAMILIES IN NEED ACROSS THIS COUNTRY - AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN LAID OFF AND ARE OUT OF WORK. I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT.

MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE LIST OF NATIONAL AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE PASSED RESOLUTIONS ENDORSING THE ELIMINATION OF REDUCED PRICE MEALS BE INCLUDED IN THE RECORD. I YIELD THE FLOOR.