[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 87 (Thursday, June 16, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012

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                               speech of

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 14, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2112) making 
     appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
     Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. KIND. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong opposition to the 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012. This bill cuts the Woman, 
Infant, and Children (WIC) Program by more than $650 million. With the 
country in the midst of a fragile recovery, my Republican colleagues 
have decided to prevent up to 350,000 women and children from receiving 
benefits from this highly successful program. In Wisconsin alone, up to 
4,800 women and children would not be able to enroll. For years, WIC 
has provided mothers and children with healthy foods, counseling on 
breast feeding, nutrition guidance, and health care referrals. At a 
time of economic uncertainty, particularly for lower and middle income 
individuals, these cuts don't make sense. These cuts are especially 
alarming because they break a 15 year commitment by members of both 
parties to allow anyone that qualifies to receive WIC benefits.
  Not only would the majority cut funding for WIC, they would also seek 
to underfund programs tailored to provide American children with 
nutrition education and more nutritious school lunches. Currently, one 
in three American children is considered overweight or obese. The 
number of children who are considered severely obese has more than 
tripled over a 25 year period. Providing America's children with 
healthy alternatives like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and school 
lunches is a small price to pay to help alleviate this epidemic. In 
fact, it will provide more long term deficit reduction and put us on a 
better fiscal path than anything the majority has proposed. The long 
term medical, financial, and societal costs posed by childhood obesity 
are a far greater threat to our fiscal stability than healthy foods in 
schools.
  Instead of putting deficit reduction on the backs of the country's 
most vulnerable citizens, I believe we should target true waste and 
fraud. For this appropriations bill, the country's outdated agriculture 
subsidy program is a good place to start.

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