H7892 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 24, 2019 National Suicide Prevention Month. minute and to revise and extend his re- CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS This is not an easy subject to talk marks.) The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under about, especially since each person’s Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, on Sep- the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- circumstances differ. Yet, as the num- tember 5, 2019, the Madison County uary 3, 2019, the gentlewoman from the ber 10 cause of death in the U.S., it is Sheriff’s Department responded to a Virgin Islands (Ms. PLASKETT) is recog- vital that people understand the issues hostage situation near Canton, Mis- nized for 60 minutes as the designee of concerning suicide and mental health sissippi. the majority leader. so that anyone can help a person in cri- Upon arrival, the suspect fled and led GENERAL LEAVE sis. deputies on a high-speed chase Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I That is the focus of the advocacy throughout the northeastern part of ask unanimous consent that all Mem- message surrounding National Suicide the county before spike strips were de- Prevention Month this year, which is bers have 5 legislative days to revise ployed to stop the suspect’s vehicle. and extend their remarks and include ‘‘Be the one to.’’ Be the one to, because Once immobilized, the suspect began to we can all follow the five action steps any extraneous material on the subject fire on deputies, striking two officers. of this Special Order. to make an impact on someone’s life: Deputy Brad Sullivan was shot mul- Be the one to ask. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there tiple times as he arrived on the scene objection to the request of the gentle- Be the one to keep them safe. and was later transported to the Uni- Be the one to be there. woman from the Virgin Islands? Be the one to help them connect. versity of Mississippi Medical Center. There was no objection. Be the one to follow up. Deputy Sullivan remains in serious Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I The National Suicide Prevention condition as our community unites rise as a member of the Congressional Lifeline website also provides tips to with prayer, donations, and medical Black Caucus to speak to this body better identify potential warning signs skill to save the life of this brave offi- about the issues that are important to before applying these five steps, as well cer. Americans, everyday Americans. as other resources. On behalf of Mississippi’s Third Con- The Congressional Black Caucus is For those in crisis, know that you gressional District, I would like to ex- the conscience of the Congress, and we are not alone and help is available. The tend my sincerest gratitude and re- feel that it is our responsibility in our lifeline is run 24/7 and can be reached spect for Deputy Sullivan, the other Special Order Hours to address those at 1–800–273–8255. deputies who responded, and the entire issues and concerns that are of most f Madison County Sheriff’s Department. importance to the people of America. We ask all Mississippians to continue We represent 70 million Americans in SUICIDE TRENDS to pray for Brad’s recovery and for our caucus, 55 Members strong, and we (Ms. DEAN asked and was given per- God’s hand of protection on all our law are using this time to address this Con- mission to address the House for 1 enforcement officers. gress on the issues of agriculture and minute and to revise and extend her re- the Black community. marks.) f Agriculture and the Black commu- Ms. DEAN. Madam Speaker, I, too, b 1930 nity, it is more than just SNAP for us. rise on the issue of suicide. Madam Speaker, I yield to the distin- Every day in America, 129 people die FIRE DANGER MITIGATION guished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. by suicide. Over a single year, that is DAVID SCOTT). more than 47,000 souls, each an irre- (Mr. LAMALFA asked and was given Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. placeable loss. permission to address the House for 1 Madam Speaker, I come before you as Even more troubling, suicide is on minute and to revise and extend his re- the chairman of the Agriculture Sub- the rise among teens, vets, and law en- marks.) committee on Commodity Exchanges, forcement. Between 2001 and 2017, the Mr. LAMALFA. Madam Speaker, I Energy, and Credit. suicide rate increased by 31 percent. rise tonight to commend Vicki Madam Speaker, I rise at this mo- That year, 2017, saw 1.4 million suicide Christiansen, the Forest Service Chief, ment to speak out against the United attempts in this country. for proposing a new rule to add to our States Department of Agriculture’s These trends have many causes, and fire danger mitigation that we need to food and nutrition service proposed we must get to the bottom of them, but do in California and across the West. rule to change the eligibility require- we can start saving lives today. Building upon my bill from a year Congress recently passed the STOIC ments for SNAP; and let me tell you and a half ago, the Electricity Reli- why, Madam Speaker. Act, and the President signed it into ability and Forest Protection Act, this law. This bipartisan bill will fund sui- It is because this proposed rule, num- allows the streamlining of the process ber one, it would eliminate broad-based cide prevention programs for law en- to clear trees and brush, et cetera, forcement, where deaths by suicide categorical eligibility for SNAP, and around power lines, that make it a fire effectively end all SNAP benefits for now outstrip line-of-duty deaths. hazard. Gun safety legislation will also make more than 3 million seniors, veterans, We have certainly suffered enough a difference. Firearms kill 40,000 people working families with children, and in- fire loss in California. I had the Camp each year, including 60 percent to sui- dividuals with disabilities. fire right in my own district, the Carr cide. Current eligibility simply allows low- Background checks and red flag laws fire last year as well and, this year, al- income families and children to receive save lives, but the Senate and the ready 54,000 acres burned in Plumas SNAP benefits if they have already President have refused to act. We must County. qualified for other anti-poverty pro- call out their absence of action. Our As it is right now, our utilities have grams. That’s it. country needs them to stand up. a hard time being able to get out and But, Madam Speaker, in fiscal year Our own colleague, Representative do the work because the permit process 2016 alone, over 10,000 Georgia house- SUSAN WILD, recently lost her partner can be difficult. So they resort to late- holds were helped to meet their basic to suicide and has bravely described its ly, right in the middle of my district, needs as a direct result of current eligi- devastating effects and now lifts her what is known as the public safety bility. strong voice so that others will not suf- power shutoff as a precaution, with the This proposed change is founded upon fer the same. wind conditions and heat perhaps being an unfortunately common, but incor- Madam Speaker, it is time for us to able to cause additional wildfire. rect assumption of ‘‘bad actors’’ wast- act. We shouldn’t put the utilities in that ing government funds. Nothing could f position of being cursed if they do or be further from the truth. It is not cursed if they don’t for a possible fire. about that. CONTINUING PRAYERS FOR We need to get the work done around In reality, these programs have prov- DEPUTY BRAD SULLIVAN the power lines. So I hope this rule put en to both encourage work and in- (Mr. GUEST asked and was given per- through by the U.S. Forest Service will crease savings in order to transition mission to address the House for 1 help us accomplish that. out of the program.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:23 Sep 25, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K24SE7.037 H24SEPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with HOUSE September 24, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7893 Madam Speaker, millions of Ameri- erty, and the pursuit of happiness.’’ ner that will artificially drive down the cans are just one lost job, just one That means food. number of people counted as officially health crisis, or another emergency, Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, as poor. Because eligibility for a range of maybe the bread winner passed on. you can see, I am here alongside my basic supports is calculated based on These things happen unexpectedly and colleagues of the Congressional Black the poverty threshold, each year, as any other emergency issues that may Caucus in strong opposition to the ad- costs go up, many working people with arise, it keeps them from becoming ministration’s proposal to severely re- low pay would gradually be stripped of food insecure. strict broad-based categorical eligi- SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, parts of Medi- Madam Speaker, there are a lot of bility, or cat-el. care, Head Start, school lunch, legal things that we can do without, but food This rule would kick millions of peo- services, even tax credits under the Af- we cannot ever do without. So it is up ple struggling with hunger from the fordable Care Act. to us Members of Congress to look out Supplemental Nutrition Assistance In my own district, due to Hurricanes for the most vulnerable among us. Program, most commonly known as Irma and Maria, the Virgin Islands De- If implemented, this rule would not SNAP, as well as approximately 250,000 partment of Human Services Division only remove food from the tables of children from preschool meals; 250,000 of Family Assistance executed Disaster Americans, but also reduce their poten- children who rely on this program to SNAP, D-SNAP, and regular SNAP si- tial for economic success and financial provide them with lunch, with break- multaneously. The Virgin Islands pro- security. fast, allowing them to be able to utilize vided this Disaster SNAP to approxi- Ultimately, eliminating the ability their skills in school, allowing them to mately 30,000 households, and SNAP to of States to use categorical eligibility be able to learn on a daily basis. approximately 29,000 households. would mean jeopardizing the very fu- Many of these children, we know, There are approximately now 22,000 tures of many hardworking Americans. without this program are unable to people on SNAP in the Virgin Islands, So I urge my colleagues to join us eat, are unable to be able to stay where we have a 33 percent child pov- within the Black Caucus—it is about awake in school because of the hunger erty rate. all of us—and speak out against this that is within them, right here in this As a member of the House Agri- proposed change in order to protect the country. And so we are fighting to culture Committee, and a conferee on health and well-being of all of our make sure that those children are not the 2018 farm bill, I am proud of the American people. removed; that those millions of Ameri- work we did on that bill. This proposal Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I cans are not removed from this pro- flies in the face of everything we thank the gentleman for that enlight- gram. worked on to build a bipartisan bill, a ening information that he has shared SNAP provides nutrition benefits to bipartisan consensus around the proc- with us. We know that the years of ex- supplement the food budget of needy ess of SNAP, and the funding, and the families so they can purchase healthy perience and seniority that the gen- support we recognize that American food and move toward self-sufficiency; tleman has gained on the Agriculture families need. providing food assistance that averages House Democrats and our colleagues Committee have given him not only a just $1.40 per person per meal, $1.40 per in the Senate expressly rejected passion, but a real understanding of meal. changes to cat-el; the end result was the issues that are important, not only SNAP is a modest benefit, with near- the most overwhelmingly bipartisan to Americans who utilize SNAP, but to ly half of the participants running out farm bill in history. This is only an at- those farmers and those in our agricul- of benefits before the end of the month. tempt by an ideological White House at tural community who are supportive of If anything, policymakers should be de- an end-run around congressional in- the things that we are trying to push bating how much to increase this sup- tent. The White House is trying to take forward and that this administration plemental benefit, given that there is away the authority of this body, and is, in fact, trying to impede. no room for cuts. we will not stand by and allow that to Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. What’s more, Trump’s tax law gave happen. Madam Speaker, that is correct. And more in tax breaks to the top 1 percent Madam Speaker, I yield to the gen- that is why we are here tonight, with than SNAP costs in its entirety. And if tleman from New Jersey (Mr. PAYNE), great compassion, with great fairness, the Trump administration is looking who has worked extensively on this asking our Members of Congress, on a for strategies to achieve savings in issue, as well as poverty issues and unanimous basis, to join in this fight. SNAP, while actually helping workers, issues on how to increase healthcare It is not just our fight. This is a fight it need look no further than raising the benefits to American families. I yield that appeals to the basic nature and Federal minimum wage. Raising the to the gentleman to speak about those purpose of the American people. That Federal minimum wage to $12, not even issues. is us. And I appreciate the gentle- the $15 proposed in the Raise the Wage 1945 woman inviting me to share in making Act, would save $53 billion over the b this appeal. next 10 years, nearly four times as Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I much as the proposed rule, by ensuring thank the gentlewoman from the U.S. think of all the money that America that workers earn more so that they Virgin Islands for yielding and for her spends on foreign aid, foreign food pro- are better able to afford food, instead continued leadership on issues that im- grams; and the fact that we, as Ameri- of punishing labor market struggles pact Americans throughout the dias- cans, are squabbling over feeding our with hunger. pora and also issues that the CBC finds own, of providing nutrition and assist- The Trump administration’s pro- necessary to continue to raise. We are ance to those families, to veterans, to posed rule would recalculate how we known as the conscience of the Con- our elders, to our children who need measure poverty, a move that would gress, and although we are the Con- these programs, it is astounding that more than likely result in reducing the gressional Black Caucus, we represent we even have to have this conversa- eligibility criteria for individuals and 78 million Americans of all stripes. tion. removing people off certain Federal That is something that I think is very Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. programs that are meant to assist poor important for people to understand. Madam Speaker, the gentlewoman is and low-income families. I am not surprised that the gentle- right. And I leave you with the words, Recently, the Trump administration woman once again has raised an issue the eloquent words, of Thomas Jeffer- proposed a rule that would recalculate for the caucus that impacts so many son when he gave us the meaning of how we measure poverty, a move that people in this Nation and, if President our great Nation: ‘‘Life, liberty, and would more than likely result in reduc- Trump has his way, negatively impacts the pursuit of happiness.’’ ing the eligibility criteria for individ- so many people in this Nation. One thing is for certain, we can’t be uals and removing people off certain I am very concerned about Trump’s happy without food because we can’t Federal programs that are meant to as- latest attack on low-income Ameri- live without food. There is no greater sist poor and low-income families. cans. His administration would like to meaning for the implementation of The proposed rule would change how make drastic changes to the Supple- Thomas Jefferson’s words: ‘‘Life, lib- the Census measures poverty in a man- mental Nutrition Assistance Program,

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:23 Sep 25, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K24SE7.039 H24SEPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with HOUSE H7894 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 24, 2019 or SNAP. The program, which used to stomach. They will have lower stand- nancial security by easing the benefits be called food stamps, has helped mil- ardized test scores, and they are more cliff as their earnings increase. lions of working parents, disabled likely to come to school late, if they On July 24, 2019, USDA published a Americans, and seniors afford a more come at all. proposed rule to restrict the use of nutritional diet. These children feel the shame of BBCE and eliminate SNAP benefits for Traditionally, SNAP benefits were being in the Free and Reduced Meal an estimated 3.1 million Americans. assigned based on a standard income Program already. This rule would re- This includes children, working fami- level. If you made less than 130 percent duce that shame by making sure they lies, military veterans, disabled indi- of the Federal poverty level, roughly do not have any meals at all. viduals, and our seniors. These are students who need support $2,300 per month, you were eligible. If Most shameful is the proposal’s im- you made more than that, you were the most, so we need to support them the most. What we do not need are pact on hungry school-age children. By not. However, there was an important USDA’s own estimates, the new policy clause in how the State governments rules designed to keep them in poverty from an administration dedicated to would take away direct access to free assessed that income. school meals for at least 500,000 school- If you had a more prosperous year, enriching the wealthy and themselves. We need to give States the freedom children. Nearly half a million children say you made an extra $100 or $200 per would be left to go hungry during the month thanks to a side job, you could to assess their SNAP eligibility in a way that empowers them to empower school day, shifting the burden to still be eligible for the benefits. States strapped school districts. knew that such income might be tem- their citizens. We need to promote porary, and they did not want to pun- healthy living with proper diet and nu- In her State of Ohio, according to the ish hardworking Americans for seeking trition choices. We need to protect our Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, over a better life. schoolchildren and do everything pos- 61,000 SNAP households would lose The system worked because it en- sible to make sure that they get every their benefits. USDA reports that, in couraged nutritious eating for lower educational benefit possible. 2017, the prevalence of food insecurity income citizens, a group that studies That is why we need to fight this pro- among those in Ohio was higher than show have less nutritious diets across posed rule change to the SNAP pro- the national average. 13.7 percent of the board. And it allowed them to save gram. Ohioans were food insecure in 2017 com- Our farmers are struggling, thanks to a little money for the future. pared to 12.3 percent nationally. Trump’s trade wars, and our students In addition, it saved time because it Even USDA admits the proposed are struggling from inequality already. allowed recipients to enroll automati- changes to SNAP would make food in- We do not need to make both of those cally and provided a new market for security worse and make it hard for problems worse. American farm products. It was a win- millions of Americans to get by. Most We are mortified but not surprised by notably, it would remove the current win for everyone involved. the actions of a callous administration flexibility for States and territories to So, naturally, Trump wants to toward people of need. It is not sur- use BBCE to tailor SNAP to best meet change that. He wants to impose a hard prising that the administration has the food needs of their own popu- cap on the income levels for recipients, looked into how it could once again pe- lations. and he wants to eliminate eligibility nalize poor people, struggling children, for people with more than $2,300 in a and the elderly, who have paid their Republicans love to talk about bank account. dues, played by the rules, and now need States’ rights when it suits them, but If the rule is enacted, it could be dis- a little assistance, but they just don’t when it comes to the flexibility of astrous for our country’s lower income matter. States to meet the needs of food-inse- workers, disabled citizens, and the el- This is not the country I was led to cure populations, then they want some- derly. Millions of them could lose their believe that I was growing up in. This thing very different. benefits and return to unhealthy eat- is not what I learned in school. What As the economy continues to leave ing, because that is all they would be we see here is a disassembling of a na- working families and our most vulner- able to afford. tion. Everything that we have stood for able behind, programs like SNAP are Study after study shows the costs to is falling apart around us because of needed more than ever. our Nation’s healthcare from patients this President and his administration. Congress already debated these with poor diets. The Centers for Dis- We will continue to fight. I think our issues. We came together and rejected ease Control and Prevention estimates Nation is stronger than one man. We this policy in both the 2014 and 2018 that unhealthy eating costs about $1 will come together as a great Nation farm bills with a record bipartisan trillion, with a T, per year in extra once again and take care of the least of vote. healthcare and contributes to the us. It is our obligation. death of almost 700,000 citizens annu- This proposed rule is shameful, cruel, Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I and contrary to the will of Congress. ally, the size of a congressional dis- thank the gentleman for the great in- trict. These are costs we do not need, This unilateral action by the adminis- formation, the statistics, the science tration only complicates legitimate bi- especially at a time when many econo- that is there that explains to us what mists say a recession is looming. partisan efforts to make programs like happens when SNAP is denied to young SNAP more effective and efficient for There are several other problems people, as well as his heartfelt words with this proposed rule. It promotes millions of people who rely on it to put about where our Nation is going when food on the table. the belief that lower income Americans we are unable to feed our own. should stay lower income because it I have some remarks from another I thank Congresswoman FUDGE for punishes people who want to save a lit- Member of the Congressional Black her remarks, and she will include the tle money. If you save too much, you Caucus, Congresswoman MARCIA remainder of her remarks in the could lose your benefits. FUDGE, who is the chairperson of the RECORD. The greatest harm would be done to Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, I would note that on May 22, 2019, I innocent schoolchildren. The free and Department Operations of the Ag- sent my own Governor of the Virgin Is- school meal programs across the coun- riculture Committee. lands a letter reminding him of the try use SNAP eligibility to determine Madam Speaker, over 40 States and need for us to speak out on the pro- whether children can qualify for the territories use broad-based categorical posed rule that would recalculate how meals. If their parents get eliminated eligibility, or BBCE, to streamline the we measure poverty, a move that from the system, at least 265,000 stu- administration of SNAP and provide would make it more than likely to re- dents could go hungry during the critical assistance to households re- sult in reducing the eligibility criteria school day. If they lose those meals, ceiving benefits and services through for individuals and removing people off academic studies show that their per- the Temporary Assistance to Needy certain Federal programs that are formance in school will drop signifi- Families block grant. meant to assist poor and low-income cantly. You cannot think about math BBCE is proven to help millions of families. I include that letter in the when you are thinking about an empty working poor families move toward fi- RECORD.

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CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, attempt to restrict eligibility for SNAP, the not enrolled in SNAP could result in billions HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, proposed changes would make low-income of dollars in health care savings. Washington, DC, May 22, 2019. households more financially vulnerable and BBCE ALLOWS LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO Governor ALBERT BRYAN Jr., more likely to rely on public benefit pro- SAVE FOR EMERGENCIES AND BECOME SELF- Christiansted, VI. grams. According to USDA’s regulatory im- SUFFICIENT. GOVERNOR BRYAN: Recently, the Trump pact analysis, the proposed rule may ‘‘nega- The law governing SNAP, determined by Administration proposed a rule that would tively impact food security and reduce sav- Congress, sets the income limit and asset recalculate how we measure poverty, a move ings rates among those individuals who do limit for the program, and offers important that would more than likely result in reduc- not meet the income and resource eligibility options provided to state administrators. ing the eligibility criteria for individuals requirements for SNAP or the substantial For more than 20 years, states have had the and removing people off certain federal pro- and ongoing requirements for expanded cat- flexibility to lift the asset tests under SNAP grams that are meant to assist poor and low- egorical eligibility.’’ Similar efforts to limit allowing families to purchase groceries with- income families. broad-based categorical eligibility (BBCE) in out having to spend down their limited sav- The proposed rule would change how the the House-passed version of the 2018 Farm ings. This allows them to maintain a cushion Census measures poverty in a manner that Bill were ultimately rejected on a bipartisan that can help them weather future financial that will artificially drive down the number basis. emergencies caused by unexpected health of people counted as officially poor. Because USDA estimates that the proposed regula- emergencies, natural disasters, or an unfore- eligibility for a range of basic supports is tion would eliminate SNAP eligibility for 3.1 seen job loss. A basic level of savings can calculated based on the poverty threshold, million people, disproportionately impacting prevent severe hardship as a result of a fi- each year as costs go up, many working peo- households with one or more elderly indi- nancial shock and can ultimately reduce the ple with low pay would gradually be stripped vidual(s). Households with elderly members likelihood that a household will need public of SNAP (formerly food stamps), WIC, Med- represent more than one-third of the 1.7 mil- benefits like SNAP. icaid, parts of Medicare, Head Start, school lion households the Administration esti- Currently, 23 states and jurisdictions using lunch, legal services, and even tax credits mates would lose SNAP eligibility; mean- BBCE have no asset limit for SNAP. Under under the Affordable Care Act. while, those households make up only 24 per- the proposed rule, states would lose this Due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the cent of current program participants. The flexibility, and SNAP applicants would be Virgin Islands Department of Human Serv- eligibility cut would affect 13 percent of held to the restrictive federal asset limits. ices Division of Family Assistance executed households with seniors, 7 percent of house- Asset tests disqualify families and individ- both Disaster SNAP—D-SNAP—and regular holds with children, and 9 percent of house- uals from food assistance if they have man- SNAP simultaneously. The Virgin Islands holds overall. Since the cuts would dis- aged to save as little as $2,250—or $3,500 for provided D-SNAP to approximately 30,000 proportionately harm elderly individuals, households with elderly or disabled mem- households and SNAP to approximately USDA determined that there is a potential bers—who may struggle with replenishing 29,000 households territory-wide. As a result, for ‘‘civil rights impacts,’’ which is alarming any assets they spend down. This would dis- members of the community were able to pur- to AARP. courage low-income households from accu- chase desperately needed food. There are now SNAP IS CRITICAL TO THE FOOD SECURITY AND mulating small but meaningful assets, jeop- approximately 22,000 people on SNAP in the HEALTH OF MILLIONS OF OLDER AMERICANS. ardizing their financial security and making Virgin Islands. SNAP is the primary source of nutrition it more likely that they will need to turn to This is an important a vital program for SNAP or other public assistance programs Virgin Islanders. There is a 45-day window to assistance for many people who are strug- gling to put food on the table. While the pro- for support. A recent study found that BBCE comment on the proposal and the deadline is increases the likelihood that a SNAP recipi- June 21, 2019. I am requesting that the Gov- gram provides a modest benefit ($125 a month on average for households with mem- ent has at least $500 in a bank account by 8 ernment of the Virgin Islands submit its percent. By allowing SNAP recipients to comment on the effect this rule will have on bers age 60 or older), it helps recipients meet their basic food needs. SNAP is an especially build a reasonable level of preventive savings the residents of the Territory. under BBCE, households are more likely to Sincerely, important program for older Americans be- cause many face challenges to employment, set aside some money and become more self- STACEY E. PLASKETT, sufficient. Member of Congress. live on fixed incomes, live alone, and have limited financial resources to spend on ne- THE PROPOSED RULE WOULD INCREASE ADMINIS- Ms. PLASKETT. I include in the cessities like food, housing, and essential TRATIVE BURDEN FOR STATES AND HOUSE- RECORD letters from AARP, as well as medicine. HOLDS. the United States Conference of May- Unfortunately, food insecurity among The rule would significantly limit states’ ors, that have written in during the older Americans is already all too common. flexibility and make eligibility for SNAP comment period to speak out against An estimated 5.5 million Americans age 60 benefits more restrictive for people in 39 and in opposition to the proposed rule and older were food insecure in 2017. House- states, Washington D.C., Guam and the Vir- changes by this administration. holds with grandchildren are nearly three gin Islands. According to USDA, BBCE re- AARP, times as likely to be food insecure. The pro- duces administrative burdens for State agen- Washington, September 23, 2019. posed rule would lead to even greater food cies and households and particularly benefits Re FNS–2018–0037, Revision of Categorical insecurity among older Americans. working households. Under the proposed Eligibility in the Supplemental Nutri- Older adults who are food insecure are at rule, 17.2 million households that remain eli- tion Assistance Program (SNAP). increased risk for many negative health out- gible for SNAP, as well as new SNAP appli- comes. They are over twice as likely to re- cants, would face additional burdens associ- PROGRAM DESIGN BRANCH, port being in fair or poor health relative to ated with the application process. Research Program Development Division, Food and Nutri- older adults who are food-secure. Compared has demonstrated that policies that add bur- tion Service, USDA, Alexandria, VA. to food-secure older adults, they are also 53 dens to SNAP participation contribute to a AARP, on behalf of its nearly 38 million percent more likely to report a heart attack, decline in program participation. Instead of members and all older Americans nation- 52 percent more likely to develop asthma, 40 increasing burdens on SNAP applicants, we wide, welcomes the opportunity to submit percent more likely to have congestive heart call for changes that would make enrollment comments on the U.S. Department of Agri- failure, 22 percent more likely to face limita- in SNAP easier and as seamless as possible. culture’s (USDA) proposed rule to revise cat- tions of Activities of Daily Living, and 60 Application forms, procedures, and program egorical eligibility in the Supplemental Nu- percent more likely to experience depres- notices should be shortened, simplified, and trition Assistance Program (SNAP). Ensur- sion. integrated with other government benefit ing that older Americans experiencing food- Food insecurity among older adults also programs. BBCE currently helps reduce the related hardship have access to nutrition as- results in significant costs to the American complexity of the SNAP application process sistance is a priority for AARP. SNAP pro- public, particularly through increased ex- and helps to improve state administration vides critical food assistance for millions of penditures on health care. Experts widely while lowering administrative costs. people, including 8.7 million households with agree that nutrition is one of the most im- Despite the benefits of SNAP, older adult at least one adult age 50 or older. portant factors influencing our health. participation rates in SNAP are the lowest AARP BELIEVES THE PROPOSED REVISION TO SNAP participation has been linked to re- of any age group. In FY 2017, 84 percent of all CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY IN SNAP WILL HARM duced hospital and nursing home admissions eligible individuals were enrolled in SNAP. LOW INCOME SENIORS AND RECOMMENDS THAT among older adults. Research examining However, only 48 percent of eligible elderly THE ADMINISTRATION WITHDRAW ITS PRO- older adults who were dually eligible for individuals were enrolled in the program, in- POSAL. Medicare and Medicaid in Maryland found cluding just 29 percent of elderly individuals We are deeply concerned that the Adminis- that SNAP participants were 23 percent less living with other people. A number of factors tration’s proposal would harm older Ameri- likely to enter a nursing home and those du- already keep eligible older Americans from cans’ health and financial security. The pro- ally enrolled were 4 percent less likely to be receiving benefits, including the complicated posed rule undermines the intent of SNAP to hospitalized in the year after receiving and time-consuming application and enroll- alleviate hunger and food insecurity among SNAP in comparison to nonparticipants. En- ment processes. Processes that make enroll- low-income households. Additionally, in an rolling the millions of seniors eligible but ment and reporting easier and help overcome

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:23 Sep 25, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A24SE7.018 H24SEPT1 dlhill on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with HOUSE H7896 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 24, 2019 the barriers that keep older Americans from mental Poverty Measure Report, SNAP lift- Casillas Salas, Mayor of Chula Vista, CA; Mi- accessing the food assistance they need are ed 3.4 million people—including 1.5 million chael B. Hancock, Mayor of Denver, CO; important for reducing food insecurity children out of poverty in 2017. So, we stand Lioneld Jordan, Mayor of Fayetteville, AK; among older adults. united and reject any proposal to restrict eli- Steve Williams, Mayor of Huntington, WV; CONCLUSION gibility to vulnerable adults, children, sen- Kenneth D. Miyagishima, Mayor of Las We are committed to reducing hunger and iors, and people with disabilities in our cit- Cruces, NM; Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los An- food insecurity among older Americans and ies. geles, CA; Jacob Frey, Mayor of Minneapolis, Research has found that receipt of SNAP therefore urge the Administration to with- MN. in early childhood improved high school David Briley, Mayor of Nashville, TN; draw its proposal. SNAP provides important graduation rates, adult earnings, and adult Chris Koos, Mayor of Normal, IL; Brian C. nutritional support, promotes healthy aging, health. Mayors recognize that solving child Wahler, Mayor of Piscataway, NJ; Ted and is associated with reduced health care hunger and poverty is critically important Wheeler, Mayor of Portland, OR; Thomas K. costs. The BBCE policy in particular also to also creating a future where all children Butt, Mayor of Richmond, CA; Ron helps people save and improve their financial thrive. Regular access to healthy and afford- Nirenberg, Mayor of San Antonio; Gleam wellbeing. Instead of reducing eligibility for able meals is one of the strongest predictors Davis, Mayor of Santa Monica, CA; Gary R. the program while increasing administrative of improved school performance, better McCarthy, Mayor of Schenectady, NY; Pete burdens, we should be working to further health, and sound childhood development. Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, IN; Michael strengthen SNAP and improve participation Lastly, the proposed rule will harm local D. Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton, CA. in the program, particularly among eligible and regional economies, as it is well docu- Michelle De La Isla, Mayor of Topeka, KS; older adults who underutilize the program mented that the economic gains from public Thomas M. Roach, Mayor of White Plains, more than any other age group. If you have benefits are even greater than the volume of NY; David J. Narkewicz, Mayor of North- any questions, please feel free to contact me. direct assistance due to a ‘‘multiplier’’ ef- ampton, MA; Alex B. Morse III, Mayor of Thank you for your consideration of our fect. USDA has estimated that during times Holyoke, MA; William C. Reichert, Mayor of comments. of economic downturn, every additional $5 West Springfield, MA; Michael M. Vargas, Sincerely, dollars in SNAP benefits generates up to $9 Mayor of Perris, CA; Nicole LaChapelle, DAVID CERTNER, dollars of economic activity, and every $1 Mayor of Easthampton, MA; Margarita L. Legislative Counsel billion increase in SNAP benefits results in Rios, Mayor of Norwalk, CA; Tim Sandoval, and Legislative Pol- 8,900 full-time equivalent jobs. Mayor of Pomona, CA; Jenny A. Durkan, icy Director, Govern- Executive action should not be used to Mayor of Seattle, WA. ment Affairs. hurt individuals, families and communities; William ‘Bill’ Edwards, Mayor of South and we urge you to abandon this proposal. Fulton, GA; Victoria Woodards, Mayor of Ta- THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE Our nation cannot remain globally competi- coma, WA; Jonathan Rothschild, Mayor of OF MAYORS, tive if our children do not have enough to Tucson, AZ; Cassie Franklin, Mayor of Ever- Washington, DC, September 23, 2019. eat; if our citizens do not have access to af- ett, WA; William Peduto, Mayor of Pitts- Ms. JESSICA SHAHIN, fordable health care; if housing and other burgh, PA; Emmett V. Jordan, Mayor of Associate Administrator, Supplemental Nutri- basic needs are priced out of reach; and if Greenbelt, MD; Andy Schor, Mayor of Lan- tion Assistance Program, Program Design adults who are willing and able to work can- sing, MI; Ian Bain, Mayor of Redwood City, Branch, Program Development Division, not find jobs that will help them support CA, Mayor of Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, Mayor Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, Alexan- their families. of National City, CA; Teresa Barrett, Mayor dria, VA. Sincerely, of Petaluma, CA. DEAR ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR SHAHIN: Levar Stoney, Mayor of Richmond, VA, Peter Weiss, Mayor of Oceanside, CA; Jef- On behalf of the US Conference of Mayors Chair, Children, Health, and Human Services frey Z. Slavin, Mayor of Somerset, MD; Lyda (USCM), we are writing to express our strong Standing Committee; Greg Fischer, Mayor of Krewson, Mayor of St. Louis, MO; Mark W. opposition to the proposed revision of ‘‘broad Louisville, KY, Vice President; Hardie Davis Mitchell, Mayor of Tempe, AZ; Carol Dutra- based categorical eligibility’’ in USDA’s Jr., Mayor of Augusta, GA; Jesse Arreguin, Vernaci, Mayor of Union City, CA; Hazelle Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Mayor of Berkeley, CA; Martin J. Walsh, Rogers, Mayor of Lauderdale Lakes, FL; (SNAP) published in the Federal Register on Mayor of Boston, MA; Muriel Bowser, Mayor Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, AZ; Thomas July 23, 2019. As noted in the proposal’s regu- of Washington, DC, Co-Chair, Food Policy W. Bernard, Mayor of North Adams, MA; latory analysis, this far reaching executive Task Force; Nan Whaley, Mayor of Dayton, Adele Andrade-Stadler, Mayor of Alhambra, action will escalate food insecurity and hun- OH, Second Vice President; Steve Adler, CA; Ruthanne Fuller, Mayor of Newton, MA. ger for an estimated 3.1 million individuals— Mayor of Austin, TX; John A. Mirisch, Martine Watkins, Mayor of Santa Cruz, including children, seniors, and people with Mayor of Beverly Hills, CA; Byron W. Brown, CA; Petrella Robinson, Mayor of North disabilities in our states, regions and cities Mayor of Buffalo, NY. Brentwood, MD; Robert Garcia, Mayor of nationwide. Furthermore, this proposal will Bernard ‘‘Jack’’ Young, Mayor of Balti- Long Beach, CA. put children’s health and development at more, MD, Co-Chair, Food Policy Task risk by removing their access to healthy Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, Force; Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, may I ask how much time I have re- school meals; and harm our economy by re- SC, Past President; Denny Doyle, Mayor of ducing the amount of SNAP dollars available Beaverton, OR; Michael J. Venezia, Mayor of maining. to spur regional and local economic activity. Bloomfield, NJ; Dave Palmer, Mayor of The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- As Mayors, we serve as the CEOs of the na- Butte, MT; Pam Hemminger, Mayor of Chap- tlewoman from the Virgin Islands has tion’s cities; and remain most concerned el Hill, NC; Patrick L. Wojahn, Mayor of Col- 32 minutes remaining. about any proposal that will reduce improve- lege Park, MD; Steve Schewel, Mayor of Dur- Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, ments to the health of our residents, weaken ham, NC; Lily Mei, Mayor of Fremont, CA; President Trump’s latest attempt to nutrition programs, deteriorate advances to Bobby J. Hopewell, Mayor of Kalamazoo, MI. slash SNAP would be harmful to Amer- healthy food access, and spur declines in David J. Berger, Mayor of Lima, OH; Rob- icans across the country, but certain local and regional economies. USCM has sup- ert A.B. Reichert, Mayor of Macon, GA; ported and adopted policies over many years Steve Gawron, Mayor of Muskegon, MI; Bill communities face particular risks. Six to eliminate hunger, combat food insecurity de Blasio, Mayor of New York, NY; Francis of the groups that Trump’s proposed and improve health disparities to build a ‘Mac’ Womack III, Mayor of North Bruns- rules would hit hardest include rural stronger society for all residents in our com- wick NJ; Adrian O. Mapp, Mayor of Plain- communities, Black and Latinx Amer- munities. Equally, we have vigorously op- field, NJ; Jorge O. Elorza, Mayor of Provi- ica, people with disabilities, people posed the proposed revision of broad based dence, RI; Lovely A. Warren, Mayor of Roch- with criminal records who are trying categorical eligibility of USDA’s Supple- ester, NY; Pauline Russo Cutter, Mayor of to move on, those in the LGBTQ com- mental Nutrition Assistance Program and San Leandro, CA; John J. Tecklenburg, munity, and women. rejected this proposal most recently Mayor of Charleston, SC. throughout deliberation of the Farm Bill in Eric Johnson, Mayor of Dallas, TX; James Given that 76 percent of rural adults 2018. B. Hovland, Mayor of Edina, MN; Sylvester report that good jobs are scarce in SNAP remains one of our nations’ key re- Turner, Mayor of Houston, TX; Dontario their areas, rural communities will be sources in the fight against hunger and is ‘Don’ Hardy, Mayor of Kinston, NC; John P. among the hardest hit by Trump’s pro- particularly important to vulnerable popu- Marchand, Mayor of Livermore, CA; Satya posed rule, as it would tie States’ lations in our cities. For instance, 80 percent Rhodes-Conway, Mayor of Madison, WI; Jill hands and remove the flexibility they of SNAP households include a child, an el- Techel, Mayor of Napa, CA; McKinley L. need to help residents of high-unem- derly person, or a person with disabilities; Price DDS, Mayor of Newport News, VA; Jim and 85 percent of all SNAP benefits go to ployment areas put food on the table. Kenney, Mayor of Philadelphia, PA; Rex Indeed, while urban areas experi- such households. Furthermore, SNAP is not Hardin, Mayor of Pompano Beach, FL. only a critical resource in the fight against Hillary Shieve, Mayor of Reno, NV; Jackie enced a net gain of 3.6 million jobs hunger and food insecurity, but also lifts Biskupski, Mayor of Salt Lake City, UT; from 2007 to 2015, rural areas lost people out of poverty. Per the 2017 Supple- Alan Webber, Mayor of Santa Fe, NM; Mary 400,000 jobs during that time, meaning

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One, b 2000 vey, LGBTQ people are more than going against what this Congress has twice as likely as non-LGBTQ people to already proposed and agreed to, bipar- Additionally, Black and Hispanic receive SNAP benefits, with 26 percent tisan support, getting something households are especially likely to be of LGBTQ women and 18 percent of across the line, bringing it to the food insecure and thus disproportion- men reporting that they or their fami- President’s desk, he signs it, and then ately rely on SNAP to help them meet lies received SNAP. through the administration, agencies, basic needs, accounting for about 30 The disproportionate receipt of bene- or executive order, attempting to slash percent, and nearly 20 percent of SNAP fits is just one reason that this rule at the authority of this body, of this benefits in 2016, respectively. would be particularly burdensome for first branch of government, who in This is due in large part to the sys- the LGBTQ community. The rule tematic barriers that African Ameri- fact, makes laws. would especially harm workers because I know that firsthand, as that is ex- cans and Latinx Americans face to they are especially likely to face labor actly what is happening right now in building wealth, purchasing homes, ac- market barriers that make it more dif- the Virgin Islands with the disaster re- cessing education, and escaping pov- ficult for them to find employment. lief funding that this body came up erty. Women: Poverty rates in these communities with. Women make up two-thirds of the We recall that this body decided that are more than double those of White low-wage workforce, making them es- it was, in fact, going to give the terri- Americans, and the Black unemploy- pecially likely to face the unstable tories money for disaster relief, and ment rate is still more than twice that schedules that would be punished by now we are facing FEMA guidance of White workers, despite what is spo- the Trump proposal’s punitive time delays on new resiliency and rebuilding ken of in the White House. In 2016, limits. provisions. Black Americans’ median wealth was In addition to the challenges of low- Additionally, FEMA denying local only $13,460, compared with $142,000 for wage work, women are disproportion- administration of FEMA permanent White Americans. ately likely to be caregivers, including People with disabilities: housing reconstruction programs; caring for people who may not be con- FEMA not willing to advance funding The proposed rule purports to apply sidered dependents under Trump’s pro- for major recovery projects, taking too only to ‘‘able-bodied adults without de- posed SNAP rule. For example, women long to improve major worksheets; pendents.’’ What does that mean? are literally 1.4 times more likely than HUD delaying releasing CDBG recovery Many of the more than 11 million peo- men to provide unpaid care and help to funding and segregating it from the ple with disabilities who receive SNAP people who live outside of their home. assistance could lose that assistance While women struggle to manage the rest of the country; action plan for under the rule, as people who face lim- challenges of unstable low-wage work unmet needs was approved on March 1, ited work capacity due to disability or and caregiving, they are also more but still no grant agreement 6 months poor health are regularly misclassified likely to face workplace discrimination later, 2 years after the hurricanes; as able-bodied for the purposes of than men. For example, nearly 36 per- FEMA administrations denying cost SNAP. cent of women who filed sexual harass- share waivers on FEMA aid, which was In fact, based on analysis by the Cen- ment charges from 2012 to 2016 claimed given to the Katrina area; refusal to ter on Budget and Policy Priorities, that they faced retaliation as a result, exercise clear statutory authority to the author estimates that 12 percent of such as their employers forcing them do this for the Virgin Islands. SNAP recipients ages 18 to 59 have at out of their jobs or reducing their This is what this administration ap- least one physical, functional, or work hours. Therefore, women who face dis- pears to be doing: allowing Congress to limitation but are not counted as dis- crimination may be more likely to be come up with bipartisan legislation, abled under SNAP. subject to the proposed rule. whether it be SNAP, assistance to People with criminal records: African Americans on average have farmers, food programs, disaster relief, The proposed rule particularly harms the lowest household incomes among having bipartisan support in both people who come into contact with the all racial/ethnic groups except Native chambers, getting it across the line, criminal justice system. Nearly nine in Americans. The poverty rate for Afri- signing it and then undercutting it, un- ten employers use criminal background can Americans is almost two times dermining this body, undermining the checks in hiring. This means that even greater than the general U.S. popu- democratic process that is in place. We an old, minor criminal record can serve lation. These are, in fact, issues that must do something about it. as a life sentence to poverty and job- we all face and should be aware of. In January of 1865, when Union Gen- lessness. As a result, the unemploy- SNAP is a powerful anti-poverty pro- eral William T. Sherman issued an ment rate among formerly incarcer- gram for all people. In a typical month order to allocate 40 acres to each freed- ated individuals is approximately 27 in 2017, SNAP helped about 13 million man, the Black ministers who lobbied percent. What is more, one study shows African Americans put sufficient food for the policy envisioned vibrant, self- that 60 percent of formerly incarcer- on the table. Its benefits lifted about governed Black agrarian communities ated individuals remain unemployed 1 2.1 million African Americans, includ- dotting the southern countryside. Un- year following their release. ing 1 million children, above the pov- fortunately, President Andrew John- By helping people put food on the erty line in 2015. SNAP also kept 1.2 son’s revocation of this order later that table while they get back on their feet, million African Americans out of deep year and the institution of the Jim SNAP is a powerful tool for supporting poverty—above half of the poverty Crow regime after reconstruction left reentry and preventing recidivism. In line—that year. rural Black Americans to build their fact, one study shows that when for- Approximately $20 billion in SNAP farming communities from scratch. merly incarcerated people are sub- benefits, about 30 percent of the total, It wouldn’t be the first time the U.S. jected to harsher SNAP requirements, went to African American households Government worked to undermine compounded by the substantial bar- in fiscal year 2016. Black farmers, and it certainly wasn’t riers they already face, recidivism On average, African American house- the last. We are seeing that even today. rates increase. holds that participate in SNAP receive Yet, even in the face of broken prom- Taking SNAP away from workers as $260 in SNAP each month, just $260. ises, not to mention the violence and they struggle to rebuild their lives and A typical participating African discrimination aimed at Black farmers reenter the labor market would thus American family of three has an aver- and Black Americans by White land- directly undercut the bipartisan gains age monthly income of $940, or 56 per- owners and lenders, those farms se- that the President and Congress say cent of the poverty line. When their cured a foothold in American agri- they support in the FIRST STEP Act. $390 SNAP benefit, the average for a culture. The LGBTQ people: family of three, is added to their cash At the height of Black farming in Trump’s proposed rule would also be income, total monthly income rises by 1920, Black farmers operated 925,710 particularly burdensome for the 29 percent, to $1,330. farms, about one-seventh of all farm

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operations in the United States. Today, PLASKETT for anchoring this Special Order on economy by creating $1.79 for every dollar in going from one-seventh, as of 2012, support of the Supplemental Nutrition Assist- benefits. Black farmers make up less than 2 per- ance Program. This proposed rule change does not help cent of all farmers. I want to express my significant concerns and support low-income individuals and fami- In the Virgin Islands, we recognize with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s pro- lies meet their basic human needs. this. The U.S. Department of Agri- posed rule to change the determination quali- The current Administration is rejecting the culture has a long and well-docu- fications for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance overwhelmingly bipartisan passage of the mented history of discrimination Program. 2018 Farm Bill, which made smart improve- against Black farmers. The unequal ad- Currently, nearly 36 million people receive ments that strengthened the safety net for ministration of government farm sup- monthly SNAP benefits. food-insecure families. port programs, crucial to protecting To be eligible for assistance, gross monthly This Administration must commit to imple- farmers from an inherently risky en- income must be at or below 130 percent of menting the bipartisan agreement to make terprise, has had a profound impact on the poverty line. anti-hunger initiatives more effective. rural communities of color. 44.4 percent of residents in Houston live at House Democrats will always stand firm for We have got to stay on this adminis- or below 185 percent of the federal poverty the health, well-being and dignity of America’s tration to make sure that all Ameri- line. working families, and will continue to advance cans have a fair shot, not only at food In the Houston metropolitan area house- our For The People agenda to deliver lower and food security through SNAP, but holds with children, 19.3 percent struggled health care costs, bigger paychecks and also to ensure that those farmers, against food hardships in 2014–2015. cleaner government that fights for the public In February of 2018, SNAP served 304,542 American farmers, particularly minor- interests, not the special interests. households in Houston, bringing in ity farmers, have a fair shot at being Thus, I urge the administration to reconsider $82,374,563 of 100 percent federally funded part of that food production. this proposal and look at the adverse effects benefits, generating approximately $147.5 mil- We know that in the Virgin Islands, that it will have on our society. our farmers farm very small acreages lion in economic activity. of land, but we are hoping and looking In Harris County alone, 599,928 people are f eligible for SNAP benefits. for the support of the USDA to live up SENATE BILL REFERRED to their example and the ideal that In August of 2019 Harris County received a they are there to support farmers, not total of $70.9 million in totally SNAP pay- A bill of the Senate of the following to undermine them; they are there to ments. title was taken from the Speaker’s As a result of the proposal 3 million people support not just the commodities, but table and, under the rule, referred as may lose their eligibility for food assistance. follows: to those specialty crop workers, those States currently have the flexibility to not cut smaller farmers who are providing food S. 1340. An act to authorize activities to off benefits as soon as a family’s gross in- combat the Ebola outbreak in the Demo- and sustenance to Americans here in come exceeds a certain level, but to more this country. cratic Republic of the Congo, and for other slowly phase out the food aid. purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Af- We know that fresh food is the best This is to ensure that those who are at or fairs. food for our children as part of the slightly above the poverty line do not risk fall- f school lunch program, and we must ex- ing below that line. pand support for the farm-to-the- Additionally, these benefits reduce food in- ENROLLED BILL SIGNED schoolroom programs, those programs security and help alleviate poverty. Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk of the that allow local farmers to be the ones The proposed changes would limit this and House, reported and found truly en- to provide the food for those school cause many families to be abruptly cut off. programs that are in place, and not The new proposal jeopardizes access to rolled a bill of the House of the fol- allow the administration to undercut free school meals for 500,000 low-income stu- lowing title, which was thereupon any part of the process. dents. signed by the Speaker: We know that the Congressional Not only does this significantly affect fami- H.R. 1058. An act to amend the Public Black Caucus will be vigilant at ensur- lies but also retired populations that rely on a Health Service Act to enhance activities of ing that this administration does not fixed income. the National Institutes of Health with re- cross the line, and we will be vigilant This would adversely affect food banks spect to research on autism spectrum dis- at bringing to the American people the order and enhance programs relating to au- around the nation as people look for food tism, and for other purposes. message that this Congress will not sit elsewhere. back and allow any administration, Forcing families to choose between placing f food on the table and covering other important Democrat, Republican, anybody, to ADJOURNMENT shirk their responsibility to the Amer- expenses is unacceptable. ican people. This proposal shows the Republicans’ spe- Ms. PLASKETT. Madam Speaker, I As the conscience of the Congress, cial interest agenda that gives billion-dollar move that the House do now adjourn. that is our charge, and we will con- handouts to big corporations and the wealthy The motion was agreed to; accord- tinue to do that work. few, and then steals from children, veterans, ingly (at 8 o’clock and 12 minutes Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal- seniors and working families to make up the p.m.), under its previous order, the ance of my time. difference. House adjourned until tomorrow, Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I It is both cruel and counterproductive, ignor- Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at 10 thank my colleague, Congresswomanh ing the positives that SNAP puts into the a.m. for morning-hour debate. BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF PAYGO LEGISLATION Pursuant to the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (PAYGO), Mr. YARMUTH hereby submits, prior to the vote on passage, for printing in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, that H.R. 2229, the First Responders Passport Act of 2019, as amended, would have no significant effect on the deficit, and therefore, the budgetary effects of such bill are estimated as zero.

Pursuant to the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (PAYGO), Mr. YARMUTH hereby submits, prior to the vote on passage, the attached estimate of the costs of H.R. 3190, the BURMA Act of 2019, as amended, for printing in the CONGRES- SIONAL RECORD.

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