[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 28 (Monday, February 13, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2579-S2580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______


                              BLOCK GRANTS

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, in recent weeks much has been 
written and said about proposals to combine all Federal food assistance 
programs into a block grant to States. The debate has lead to a close 
examination of nutrition programs such as WIC and the School Lunch and 
Breakfast Programs. As a strong supporter of these vital programs, I 
have been deeply concerned about the potential consequences such action 
could have on our Nation's most vulnerable--children, pregnant women, 
and senior citizens.
  The Census Bureau estimates that more than 37 million Americans live 
below the poverty line. More distressing, however, is that children 
continue to be the poorest age group in the country. Over the past 20 
years, the number of American children in poverty has increased by more 
than 37 percent. According to data released by the National Center for 
Children in Poverty last month, 6 million American children under age 6 
were living in poverty in 1992--the highest rate since researchers have 
been documenting such figures.
  Mr. President, in my view, we have a responsibility to these 
children. If our children are to succeed in an increasingly competitive 
world, efforts to guarantee them access to basic nutrition services 
must be maintained and expanded. Traditionally, the Federal Government 
has exhibited a strong commitment to its food assistance programs and 
many of these programs are among the most successful of all Federal 
initiatives.
  Take, for example, the WIC or Women, Infants, and Children Program. 
WIC provides food vouchers and nutrition education to pregnant women 
and young children and is expected to support an average of 7.2 million 
participants at an average monthly cost of $42.38 per person per month 
in fiscal year 1995. The General Accounting Office estimates that WIC 
services to pregnant women who gave birth in 1990 cost the Federal 
Government nearly $296 million, but could save a projected $1.036 
billion in Federal, State, local, and private dollars by the year 2008. 
According to a Harvard University study, every dollar spent on prenatal 
care through the WIC Program saves as much as $3 in future health care 
costs. The Department of Agriculture also estimates that every dollar 
spent on prenatal care through the WIC
 Program results in a significant Medicaid savings within the first 60 
days after birth.

  The WIC Program not only provides taxpayers one of the greatest 
returns on their investment, it has also improved the long-term health 
of millions of American women and children. According to the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, since the inception of the WIC Program, low 
birthweight rates have dropped, the prevalence of anemia in preschool-
aged children has declined, and the incidence of stunting has decreased 
by nearly 65 percent.
  To date, this important program has served almost 90,000 of more than 
210,000 eligibles in my home State of 
[[Page S2580]] Maryland. If this program were to become part of a block 
grant to States, the USDA estimates that at least 12 percent of the 
total funding for the program would be cut, which translates to a loss 
of approximately $3.6 million for Maryland.
  I wonder, Mr. President how many people realize that the National 
School Lunch Program--the oldest of all child nutrition programs--
serves more than 25 million meals daily and boasts a 90-percent 
participation rate of schools nationwide? The average daily 
participation rate in Maryland is estimated to be around 374,855 
children out of a public school enrollment of 763,274--nearly half of 
all children enrolled in the Maryland public school system. The 
Maryland State Department of Education estimates that Maryland would 
lose more than $22 million in funding for fiscal year 1996 if proposals 
to block grant nutrition programs were implemented.
  In addition, block granting nutrition programs would effectively 
eliminate all uniform national standards for nutrition. These 
standards, which were strengthened last year through the Better 
Nutrition and Health for Children Act, appropriately recognized that in 
providing food assistance to needy children, it is equally important to 
make certain that the food provided is nutritious. To neglect this 
important aspect of the debate would be truly irresponsible.
  A recent editorial in the Baltimore Sun stated that ``By and large, 
Federal food programs work well. They reach the people who need them, 
and their existence over the past couple of decades has demonstrably 
reduced hunger and malnutrition.'' Mr. President, Federal food 
assistance programs do work well. They achieve their desired goals with 
a high degree of efficiency and success. In this case, the old adage 
``if it's not broke, don't fix it'' rings true.


                          ____________________