[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 39 (Thursday, March 2, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H2575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


FOOD FOR AMERICA'S CHILDREN MUST HAVE PRIORITY OVER SUPPORT FOR FOREIGN 
                              GOVERNMENTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McHugh). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Hilliard] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, the children of Alabama, like those of the 
rest of the Nation, depend on the food programs of the Federal 
Government. Some come from very needy families who cannot afford to 
feed their children.
  In my district, one of the poorest in the Nation, these food programs 
for kids make the difference between health and sickness, or between 
the ability to concentrate or become distracted from their class 
studies. These programs make the difference between a successful 
student and one who fails.
  In the 7th district of Alabama, nearly two-thirds of students served 
cannot afford to pay. Even field kids who cannot afford to pay for 
their breakfast meal under Federal guidelines receive food. Mr. 
Speaker, this is a catastrophe. We must take care of our kids. We must 
protect our kids. Cutting food programs will literally take food out of 
the mouths of young kids. This we cannot afford to do.
  Mr. Speaker, we must prepare for the future. Those of us who wish to 
balance the budget do not wish to balance the budget on the backs of 
kids. There are so many other ways and methods we could make cuts in 
order to balance the budget.
  Mr. Speaker, last year we spent $4 billion defending Japan. Japan 
paid the United States $2 billion of that $4 billion we spent. We will 
spend $2.4 billion over the next five years that will be taken from the 
food program for the support of Japan.
  Mr. Speaker, last year we spent $18 billion defending Europe. We will 
take $2.4 billion from the food program over the next five years.
  Mr. Speaker, one year of defending Germany or defending China or 
defending the world will support the food program in this country for 5 
years. I submit that we should take priorities, and that the number one 
priority should be our children.
  Mr. Speaker, most of us would love to balance the budget. Each one of 
us, regardless of our party, believe in balancing the budget, but we 
cannot balance it at the expense of our children. I am opposed to 
including children's nutrition programs in block grant form. I am 
opposed, because I realize that, like my State, which is a deficit 
State, that money will be used for other purposes, directly or 
indirectly.
  Let me say, Mr. Speaker, exactly how that would happen. If the money 
is sent directly to the State, and it is not earmarked just solely for 
food programs, but for other indirect costs associated with 
administering that program, then that money will be spent for highways, 
it will be spent for roads and bridges, it will be spent for other 
programs, and it will happen in this manner.
  The money will go to the States, earmarked for the administration of 
the food program. Instead of buying food supplies, that money will be 
used to pay salaries of workers. At the present time, Mr. Speaker, the 
Federal program pays for the food supplies, and the State program 
matches it by paying salaries of the workers.
  I am certain that the State will not pay the salaries of the workers. 
Therefore, the money that ordinarily will go for food supplies will go 
towards partially paying the salaries of the workers, and the workers' 
salaries that have been paid by the State, what will happen to that 
money? Mr. Speaker, you know and I know that it will be used to build 
highways, to
 build bridges, to repair roads, or for any other emergency that may 
occur.

  I have been in the State government for 18 years. We have many trust 
funds in the State of Alabama. I have seen us raid those trust funds 
for other purposes than those intended by the fund itself, so I know 
what will happen. I suggest it will happen every day, all across 
America. There will not be just 50 programs, but every State will have 
a program. That program, Mr. Speaker, would not be sufficient to feed 
the children, to feed the kids, to feed the students in our country.
  Mr. Speaker, the children, the kids, the students in this country 
deserve our very best. They deserve to be treated better than we treat 
them, and they deserve to be treated in terms of priority above the 
defense of Japan and above the defense of Europe.

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