[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 64 (Wednesday, May 5, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H2643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          A FOCUS ON CHILDREN

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is important that we focus 
on our children. I am delighted to congratulate the WIC program on its 
25th anniversary, a program that has provided nourishment for women and 
children and infants, a program that has helped so many to be able to 
have the basic nourishment that allows them to go to schools and then 
be educated. Our children are our greatest asset.
  Then I would like to note that this is Asthma Awareness Day and 
Month. I hope that we realize the importance of more research to help 
cure asthma. So many of our children and, yes, so many of our citizens 
are impacted by that.
  Likewise, Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite and acknowledge that 
the Congressional Children's Caucus will be holding a hearing this 
afternoon at 2154 Rayburn on the crisis of school violence, how do we 
help our children. We want solutions and not accusations.
  We hope to develop a mental health system for children, where 
children can be referred and helped and rehabilitated, because in fact 
they are our precious resource. We will be listening to children today, 
we will be listening to mental health experts on the crisis of school 
violence and how do we help our children. We hope the children will 
come and let us hear them today.
  Mr. Speaker, today is a special day for several reasons. Today is the 
25th Anniversary of the WIC Program and it is also Asthma Awareness 
Day. Also today, the Congressional Children's Caucus, which I am the 
chair, will have a hearing today on the psychology of school violence. 
I hope My Colleagues will join me for the hearing.
  The WIC Program, or the Women, Infant and Children's Supplemental 
Nutrition Program, has been providing nutrition education and diet 
counseling since 1972. It is a federally funded program designed for 
low-income pregnant women, mothers and their children who face 
nutritional risk.
  WIC helps mothers make infant feeding choices and provides 
breastfeeding support, children's growth checkups and referrals for 
other health services. WIC also gives mothers one-on-one instructions 
for making healthy meals for their families.
  Families on WIC receive monthly supplies for food like milk, eggs, 
cereal and juice. This is an important program for mothers and children 
in need, and I am happy to salute them today on their 25th Anniversary.
  Today is also Asthma Awareness Day. Asthma is a serious condition 
that causes difficulty in breathing and it affects children and adults. 
An estimated 4.8 million children under 18 have asthma and many more 
have undiagnosed asthma.
  Asthma is the leading chronic illness in children and it is the 
leading cause of school absenteeism. Hospitalizations due to asthma are 
disproportionately high for inner-city children, particularly for 
children of color. Each year, 600 children die from asthma and 150,000 
are hospitalized.
  Today, there will be screenings for asthma and allergies and I urge 
everyone to get tested. As it is now allergy season, this is the time 
to find out how serious your allergies may be and also how to relieve 
your symptoms.
  Finally, today there will be a hearing sponsored by the Congressional 
Children's Caucus on the issue of school violence. We have a panel of 
mental health experts who will discuss the need for mental health 
services in schools. We will also have a panel of students who will 
discuss their fears about violence in school. I look foward to seeing 
many of you there.

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