[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15495]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           THE TWILIGHT ZONE

  (Mr. PITTENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask if we've entered the 
twilight zone.
  Last Friday, a bipartisan coalition in the House of Representatives 
passed House Joint Resolution 75, which ensures the proper funding for 
the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and 
Children, better known as WIC. Senate Democrats have refused to take 
action on this legislation, choosing to play political games instead of 
providing nutritional assistance to low-income pregnant women, new 
mothers, infants, and young children.
  Here's where it gets stranger. President Obama has actually 
threatened to veto the legislation. The President of the United States 
is threatening to veto nutritional assistance for little babies and 
preschoolers?
  This isn't a game. Yesterday, North Carolina stopped using WIC 
benefits because of this unfortunate shutdown.
  America elected a divided government, but they expect us to work 
together. Mr. Speaker, the President needs to convey to the Senate 
Democrats that they must come to the negotiating table. Senate 
Democrats must rejoin the normal legislative process. Let's talk.

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