[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 124 (Thursday, September 19, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H5659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE MORE HUNGER, LESS OPPORTUNITY ACT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for 5 minutes.
Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to strongly oppose the
deep and extreme cuts to nutrition programs that, once again, are being
brought to the floor by the Republican majority. H.R. 3102, what we
call the ``More Hunger, Less Opportunity Act,'' takes a bad idea and
makes it worse, cutting billions--literally billions--of dollars in aid
for the working poor, people who struggle every single day, literally,
to put food on the table.
This bill is heartless. It has gone from bad to worse. We've seen
this movie before. In June, when the Republicans brought $20 billion in
cuts to the floor as a part of the farm bill, it derailed the farm
bill, broke what had been a bipartisan effort for as long as anybody
around here can remember. And now, $40 billion in cuts.
Three-quarters of the households receiving SNAP include a child, a
senior, somebody who is disabled. This legislation literally punishes
those folks. Republicans desire, for whatever reason--incomprehensible
to many of us--to deprive even the neediest Americans with a basic
necessity: food. It has, as I said, derailed the farm bill process and
now has the chance to risk hurting more Americans. This bill would
shamefully and literally take food out of the mouths of nearly 4
million children, seniors, and disabled.
I urge my colleagues--Republicans and Democrats--to join me in
opposing this legislation.
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