[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 39 (Thursday, March 2, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H2571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   REPUBLICANS STARVING CHILDREN TO PAY FOR THEIR CONTRACT ON AMERICA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McHugh). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Woolsey] is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank the gentlewoman 
from North Carolina [Mrs. Clayton] for organizing tonight's special 
orders. She is so appreciated.
  Mr. Speaker, I know personally the fear of not having enough money to 
buy food for my children. Twenty-seven years ago I was a single working 
mother with three small children forced to rely on Aid For Dependent 
Children and food stamps in order to give my children the health care, 
child care and food they needed. That experience never leaves me, Mr. 
Speaker. It is the basis for my commitment to make sure that every 
child enters the classroom safe, healthy and ready to learn, and 
without nutrition programs this will not be possible.
  That is why I am shocked that at the same time Republicans are 
talking about taking school lunches away from almost 7,000 children in 
my congressional district, Mr. Speaker, they are refusing to cut pork 
barrel military projects like the F-22 fighter plane.
  Health care providers, parents and teachers all know that the school 
lunch program is crucial to our children's education and to their 
health. In fact, the school lunch program is the source of more than 
one-third of the recommended daily allowance for the children it 
serves. Clearly, Mr. Speaker, eliminating Federal school meal programs, 
cutting funds and giving what is left over to the States is no way to 
take care of our children. Rather we should be talking about full 
funding our school lunch programs and full stomachs for our kids.
  In fact, I have only one thing to say to this pea-brain plan. States 
do not get hungry, children do, and the public is not going to allow 
the Republicans to starve children just so they can pay for their 
Contract on America.

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