[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 1, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  UNFUNDED MANDATE REFORM ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                               speech of

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 30, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5) to curb 
     the practice of imposing unfunded Federal mandates on States 
     and local governments, to ensure that the Federal Government 
     pays the costs incurred by those governments in complying 
     with certain requirements under Federal statutes and 
     regulations, and to provide information on the cost of 
     Federal mandates on the private sector, and for other 
     purposes.

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the 
Jackson-Lee/Clay amendment to H.R. 5 which will help ensure that the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act will not apply to, among other things, 
laws and regulations necessary to protect American children against the 
tragedy of hunger and homelessness.
  In cities and rural areas throughout our Nation, millions of American 
men, women, and children go to sleep on our streets cold and hungry and 
without hope. It is estimated that twelve million children under age 
18--one in five--go hungry each day. On any given night in Los Angeles 
County, there are up to 84,000 homeless people and, more tragically, 
9,000 are children.
  Chronic hunger and homelessness are among the greatest threats facing 
our Nation's children. At a time when they are in greatest need of 
adequate nutrition and shelter, hungry and homeless children are likely 
to have their physical and emotional growth and educational development 
permanently limited. If we doom the chance of American children to 
become productive workers by failing to invest in them and protect them 
now, we forge a dubious future for this Nation.
  Since the 1970's, the Federal Government has recognized that it must 
play a major role in addressing homelessness and hunger for families 
and their children. We have recognized that we have a moral obligation 
of the highest order as the greatest democracy in the world to protect 
the most vulnerable members of our society--our children. Existing 
programs to supplement the nutritional needs of children are critically 
important to maintaining a safety net for children and their families.
  At a time when we should be mounting an unrelenting attack on poverty 
in America, H.R. 5 threatens a massive retreat from the war on hunger 
and homelessness. The conditions of hunger and homelessness, and its 
resultant human suffering, are growing and pervasive problems that will 
only be exacerbated by the procedural barriers imposed by H.R. 5 and 
other provisions of the Republican contract with America.
  Those who argue that the problem can be addressed through charitable 
groups are turning a deaf ear to the warnings of organizations such as 
Catholic Charities, one of the largest in the country, that clearly 
state they cannot shoulder this responsibility on their own.
  We must not be so short sighted in our efforts to bring the Federal 
deficit under control to abandon our children and leave them without 
adequate nutrition or housing.
  While the road to a total solution for hunger and homelessness is a 
long and difficult one, our responsibility as Members of Congress is 
clear: We must continue to protect American children from hunger and 
homelessness. The Jackson-Lee/Clay amendment is an important step in 
that direction.


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