[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 54 (Thursday, March 23, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H3577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE PHYSICS OF SCHOOL LUNCHES

  (Mr. BROWN of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a 
simple law of physics: ``For every action there is an equal, but 
opposite reaction.'' Although it is not a difficult concept to grasp, I 
would like to offer an example to help my colleagues who may not 
understand.
  Last Friday, I had the opportunity to visit two schools in my 
district to observe the large number of children participating in the 
School Lunch Program. My district has been hard hit by a base closure, 
defense downsizing, and high unemployment.
  At both Alessandro and Monterey Elementary Schools, over 80 percent 
of the children participate in the School Lunch Program. These schools 
are typical of the numbers of
 students whose nutritional needs are supplemented by the School Lunch 
Program in San Bernardino.

  If we skimp on meals for hungry school children, we may save money in 
one area. But those savings will be lost due to increased medical 
expenses for undernourished children and higher education costs as 
children are held back in grades because they are not learning at the 
expected rate, unable to concentrate on an empty stomach. Our local 
schools may also lose much needed aid due to increased absenteeism due 
to sick, malnourished children having to stay home.
  Throughout the balanced budget amendment debate in this House, my 
Republican colleagues took to the floor stating that unless we passed 
that one piece of legislation, our children and grandchildren would 
face a grim future. What could be more grim than 2 million children 
going hungry because congressional Republicans cut the School Lunch 
Program?
  These may be simple cuts to make today, but the chain reaction set in 
motion could be disastrous for our country. Cutting school lunches is 
not the answer to this country's economic problems.
  Let us be sure that we fully understand the opposite reaction to the 
action of cutting school lunches.




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