[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 21, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1912]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE

  (Mrs. CLAYTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Madam Speaker, hundreds and hundreds of North 
Carolinians have written to me in recent days. They are concerned about 
a provision in the Personal Responsibility Act of 1995 that would 
convert Federal food assistance programs into block grants. Their 
concern is well placed. If the provision remains in the bill, Federal 
nutrition programs for our seniors and our young will not be the same. 
Thousands who we now feed will no longer be fed. However, the impact of 
this proposed change goes even deeper. Retail food sales will decline 
by $10 billion, farm income will be reduced by as much as $4 billion, 
and unemployment will increase by as many as 138,000. The stability of 
America's economy is at stake. From the grocery stores, large and 
small, to the farmer and food service worker--everyone will suffer. 
Most States will lose money. That is why I will offer an amendment to 
restore the Federal food assistance programs when H.R. 4 comes to the 
floor. The nutrition of our citizens should not be left to chance. We 
have a choice.

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