[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13604]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       EXPANDED NUTRITION PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 18, 1999

  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me 
in observing the 30th anniversary of the Expanded Nutrition Program. On 
Monday, I will be with the Expanded Nutrition Program of the Texas 
Agricultural Extension Service at Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi 
to celebrate this all-important anniversary.
  We are all fortunate enough to know how very important, how very 
fundamental, nutrition is to each of us. Each one of us, for better or 
worse, is a product of what we began to eat when we were younger. I am 
so very proud of the work South Texans have done to learn more about 
nutrition.
  I am so grateful for the vision in association with the Expanded 
Nutrition Program (ENP) in Texas. ENP has been providing nutrition 
education to poor families and children since 1968, and it is easily 
one of our most productive programs.
  ENP teaches an assortment of things all of us need in order to be 
productive, healthy citizens: life skills, self-sufficiency, better 
health and nutrition, careful budgeting, commitment, responsibility and 
personal success. All in all, ENP leads the way to a healthier way of 
life. Better still, EPN saves us money; each dollar spent on ENP is $10 
saved on health care costs.
  ENP teaches lessons about food and nutrition in a supportive 
environment. The ``Kids in the Kitchen'' program provides leadership 
development for young people who need esteem or leadership skills. 
Young people who help prepare family meals learn valuable lessons about 
sharing workload and responsibility.
  Through the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texans have learned 
about basic nutrition, managing a food budget, food safety and food 
preparation. Women who are returning to work can learn to prepare quick 
and easy, yet nutritious, meals to ease the family's adjustment to the 
change. Positive, productive activities may reduce the chance of risky 
behavior.
  I want to ask all my colleagues to join me today in observing the 
30th anniversary of the Expanded Nutrition Program.

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