[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 160 (Monday, October 24, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           NATIONAL FOOD DAY

                                  _____
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 24, 2011

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to Food 
Day and the importance of addressing our hunger crisis in America.
  Spearheaded by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Rep. 
Rosa DeLauro and Sen. Tom Harkin, Food Day enlists anti-hunger 
advocates, physicians, authors, and elected officials to advocate for 
healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. I am 
honored to be a member of the Food Day Advisory Board.
  While Food Day and its advocates focus on a number of important food-
related issues, one that Congress has failed to fully understand is the 
crisis of hunger. In 2010, 14.5 percent of American households were 
food insecure, meaning they lacked the capacity to put enough food on 
their tables.
  Several federal programs work in conjunction to prevent hunger. The 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) keeps 45 million 
people from going hungry. Over half of SNAP beneficiaries are children, 
and eight percent are over age 60. The Women, Infants and Children 
(WIC) program provides food assistance to 9 million mothers and 
children under five years of age. These programs are needed now more 
than ever.
  The Republican Budget, passed in the House with no Democratic 
support, would cut $127 billion from SNAP over the next decade, a 20 
percent cut. The House Agriculture Appropriations bill, passed with no 
Democratic support, would also cut SNAP funding.
  The 2011 Continuing Budget Resolution cut WIC by $504 million, and 
the 2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill would cut it by an additional 
$700 million, or roughly 10 percent.
  These are numbers, but they affect real people. I recently received a 
dozens of messages on paper plates from the Ezra Multi-Service Center 
in Chicago. The plates answer the question: what would happen if SNAP 
benefits are cut?
  One anonymous client said that if the program is cut it would be 
impossible for her to feed her four children.
  Robert from Chicago said that he has lost everything. ``If my 
benefits were cut I wouldn't eat for a while.''
  A third client said ``if my benefits were cut, I would not be able to 
eat or sleep. I would have to look in the garbage for food.''
  In the wealthiest nation on earth, that is simply unacceptable.
  I urge my colleagues who are members of the Select Committee on 
Deficit Reduction not to consider cuts to SNAP, WIC, or other nutrition 
programs that serve as a lifeline for families struggling to make ends 
meet. Instead we should look to raise revenues by increasing tax rates 
on individuals and corporations who can afford to contribute more.
  As we work to rein in our deficit, we must ensure that no American is 
forced to go without food.

                          ____________________