Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 159 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2013 No. 123 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was that encompasses various diseases and Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, week called to order by the Speaker pro tem- conditions that damage brain cells— after week, I’ve stood on this floor and pore (Mr. LAMALFA). Alzheimer’s disease. talked about hunger in America. Week September is Alzheimer’s Month, a f after week, I’ve talked about the dev- time spent by Alzheimer’s advocates in astating impacts of hunger in our DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO promoting and educating on this life- country—how it affects kids and sen- TEMPORE changing disease. iors and how our country is worse off The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- According to the Alzheimer’s Asso- because of hunger. I’ve talked about fore the House the following commu- ciation, deaths from Alzheimer’s in- ways we can end hunger, and have ex- nication from the Speaker: creased close to 70 percent between 2000 pressed my commitment to the effort and 2010. During that same time period, to end hunger now. WASHINGTON, DC, deaths from other major diseases, such The problem, Mr. Speaker, is that September 18, 2013. as heart disease, decreased. In my I hereby appoint the Honorable DOUG the Republican leadership not only LAMALFA to act as Speaker pro tempore on home State of Pennsylvania, in 2010, willfully ignores the plight of the hun- this day. more than 3,500 individuals died from gry in America, but they are actually JOHN A. BOEHNER, Alzheimer’s. My mom, Mary Thomp- moving legislation that will make hun- Speaker of the House of Representatives. son, suffered with Alzheimer’s for 10 ger in America worse. f years as the disease slowly stole her Just a few weeks ago, USDA released memories, her dignity and, eventually, the newest data on hunger in America. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE her life. Hunger rates have essentially stayed The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- In 2010, Congress passed legislation to flat over the past few years. That ant to the order of the House of Janu- create a national plan to combat Alz- means that, statistically, hunger ary 3, 2013, the Chair will now recog- heimer’s disease. It established a Na- hasn’t gotten worse since the end of nize Members from lists submitted by tional Alzheimer’s Project within the the Great Recession, but it hasn’t got- the majority and minority leaders for Department of Health and Human ten any better either. morning-hour debate. Services in order to coordinate the The United States has a strong anti- The Chair will alternate recognition country’s approach to research and hunger safety net. Even though we have 49 million people who don’t know between the parties, with each party caregiving. This effort supports the where their next meals will come from, limited to 1 hour and each Member amazing work being done through med- we know that nearly 48 million of them other than the majority and minority ical research and awareness to improve are enrolled in SNAP, formerly known leaders and the minority whip limited the lives of those who are living with as ‘‘food stamps.’’ SNAP is a lifeline. It to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall Alzheimer’s. While awareness of Alzheimer’s has provides low-income families with ac- debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. grown over the last decade, America cess to food, access they wouldn’t oth- f and the world have a long way to go to erwise have if they were not enrolled in ALZHEIMER’S MONTH educate and combat this disease. Alz- SNAP. Now let me address a common heimer’s is a condition that most piece of misinformation, a fabrication, The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Americans have encountered through a that opponents of SNAP continue to Chair recognizes the gentleman from parent, a loved one, a friend or some- use again and again. Pennsylvania (Mr. THOMPSON) for 5 one close they care about. However, to- SNAP is among the most effective minutes. gether, through continued advocacy, and efficient, if not the most effective Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. research and the dedicated work of and efficient, Federal program in Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to discuss health professionals, care providers and America. SNAP error rates—overpay- the sixth-leading cause of death in the scientific researchers, we can and will ments, underpayments and fraud United States of America and the fifth- make a difference. rates—are not only at all-time lows for leading cause of death for those aged 65 f the program, but they are among the years and older. It’s a disease more lowest rates of any Federal program. than 5 million Americans are living END HUNGER NOW This notion that fraud, waste and with and is the only cause of death The SPEAKER pro tempore. The abuse are rampant in SNAP is a fal- among the top 10 in the United States Chair recognizes the gentleman from lacy. It’s a make-believe talking point without a way to cure it or to slow its Massachusetts (Mr. MCGOVERN) for 5 designed to take away food from hun- progression. It’s a type of dementia minutes. gry people. Yet the Republicans are b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H5591 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:48 Sep 19, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A18SE7.000 H18SEPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE H5592 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 18, 2013 bringing a bill to the floor tomorrow lican leadership bill that is coming to just a few years, SNAP spending will be that, if passed, will undoubtedly make the floor tomorrow. It is cruel. It is im- back down to 1995 levels as a share of hunger worse in this country. Their moral. We are much better than this. the GDP, and since it’s shrinking on its bill will make hunger worse for work- Reject the leadership bill. own, it isn’t adding to the long-term ing mothers and fathers, for kids, for f deficit problems. senior citizens, and even for our vet- The rhetoric is simply empty and erans. END HUNGER NOW stupid. Conservatives can try and push CBO reports that the bill would cut The SPEAKER pro tempore. The this tired welfare abuse narrative. It’s 3.8 million low-income people from Chair recognizes the gentleman from a talking point. Every time they come SNAP in 2014—and just so there is no Washington (Mr. MCDERMOTT) for 5 out here, ‘‘Welfare abuse. Welfare misunderstanding, ‘‘low-income’’ minutes. abuse. People are getting money for means ‘‘poor.’’ On top of that, an aver- Mr. MCDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, al- food. That’s welfare abuse,’’ but as age of nearly 3 million people will be though this hall is empty, there are a usual, the reality is not in their corner. cut from SNAP each and every year lot of people watching it, and I wonder Studies show that food assistance has over the coming decade. These are how many of them have ever actually some of the lowest rates of fraud of any some of the Nation’s most destitute gone hungry. How many of the people benefit program. If you go to one of adults as well as many low-income watching this have had to go without a those food banks and talk to the people children, seniors and families that meal so their kids could eat? How who are there, you’ll find some sur- work for low wages. That’s right. Peo- many have had to wonder how they’ll prising people there, people who ple who work but who don’t make get through a summer without sub- thought they would never have to go enough to feed their families will be sidized school lunches? It’s easy to talk there, but they are short on money and cut from this program. about pulling yourself up by your boot- can’t feed their kids, so they’re getting The biggest cut affects at least 1.7 straps when you’ve had designer shoes some money. million unemployed, childless adults in on your whole life. So I ask you again: Why are we doing 2014 who live in areas of high unem- Tomorrow, we will be voting on this—wasting time to satisfy the fur- ployment. These are poor people. Many whether or not to cut $40 billion from thest right-wing of the Republican don’t have the skills or education they SNAP. That’s a nutrition program for Party? need to find a job. This is a group people who do not have access to ade- We are again catering to a fringe whose average income is about $2,500 a quate nutrition. It’s a program that agenda thought up by partisans who year for a single individual—$2,500 a helps one out of seven Americans to are obsessed with the deficit bogey- year—and for most, SNAP is the only put food on the table. If this seems fa- man. That bogeyman has been roaming government assistance they receive.