[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 133 (Friday, October 5, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1823-E1824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       FARM SECURITY ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 4, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2646) to 
     provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through 
     fiscal year 2011:

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. Chairman, I rise today to 
offer an amendment to provide $25 million for child nutrition programs. 
These programs provide funding for our nation's schools to purchase 
commodities for their National School Lunch and School Breakfast 
Programs.
  The National School Lunch Program serves more than 27 million 
children every day, slightly over half to children who live at or near 
the poverty level in this country. More than 85% of the 7 million 
breakfast served in schools each day go to poor children. For these 
children, our federal school meal programs are their most secure link 
to good nutrition. These commodity food programs also allow school 
districts to offset the costs of lunches for children who do not 
participate in the program. In essence, these programs benefit the 
child receiving the free or reduced cost meal as well as the child who 
pays full price.
  Research has confirmed a link between nutrition and children's 
cognitive development, cognitive performance, and ability to 
concentrate. Preschool and school age children need to receive proper 
and adequate nutrition. Studies also show that those nutiritonal 
programs have contributed positively to scores on test of basic skills, 
reduced tardiness and absenteeism.
  Also clear is the link between our federal nutrition programs and our 
agricultural communities. The United States began providing 
agricultural commodities to our schools more than a decade before we 
started grants in aid to schools to provide meals, and three decades 
before we recognized the special needs of our poorest children through 
the free and reduced price meal subsidies. In 1994, Congress amended 
the National Lunch Act to require that at lease 12% of all federal 
support for schools meals must be in the form in commodities. However, 
in 1998 the Congress again amended the National School Lunch Act to 
count bonus commodities, food products purchased under separate 
authorizations and for a very different purpose, to meet the 12% 
statutory requirement. While some thought this

[[Page E1824]]

was merely an accounting change, the effect was a real cut in support 
for our school lunch program. The commodities, which will not be 
purchased under the entitlement authorization, are the ones best suited 
to meet the menu and nutritional requirements of our school meal 
programs. The impact of the change was not felt last year or this 
because Congress yet again passed another statute that correct the 
error, but only for 2000 and 2001. But our schools will lose more than 
$55 million dollars in entitlement commodities in 2002 unless we act to 
correct the problem. Over the next eight years, this cut will exceed 
$440 million. That is a very real and significant cut to our school 
programs. Make no mistake, this is a school lunch budget cut--this is 
more than $55 million per year that schools will not receive. It is 
also a $440 million cut in the amount of agricultural commodities 
purchased by USDA.
  I have spoken with several of my colleagues and they share my 
interest in this matter. After all, this money is used by USDA to 
purchase agricultural commodities, and these purchases have a 
significant impact on producer incomes. The magnitude of this cut is 
even more dramatic when you consider the amount of food that it 
represents. This cut means that USDA will reduce its overall purchases 
by 660 million pounds.
  One of the best ways we can move forward as a society is to meet our 
obligations to our children. The Federal Government must follow through 
on its commitment to work in partnership with states, schools, and the 
agricultural community to administer a major program designed to 
improve children's diets and, in turn their overall health and well 
being. We can be proud that these school meal programs promote the well 
being of some of our Nation's most vulnerable children by providing 
them with the nourishment they need to develop healthy bodies and sound 
minds. Nutritious meals help students reach their full potential by 
keeping them alert and attentive in the classroom. As both common sense 
and extensive scientific research confirm, a hungry child cannot focus 
on schoolwork as well as one who has been fed a nutritious meal.
  Mr. Chairman, recognizing the many needs being addressed in this 
bill, I will withdraw the amendment, but would like to draw attention 
to how we, the representatives of our pre-school and school age 
children across America, have neglected them. And in the spirit of 
National School Lunch Week, which begins the second week of October 
every year, I would also like to express my interest in working 
together with members of both the Committee on Agriculture and the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce to explore this issue and seek 
ways to support our nation's pre-school and school age children by 
providing additional agricultural commodities. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I 
look forward to working with all of my colleagues who share my concern 
to emend this problem and provide for our pre-school and school age 
children at home first. Thank you.

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