E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 141 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1995 No. 36 Senate (Legislative day of Wednesday, February 22, 1995) The Senate met at 12 noon, on the ex- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The jority of the benefits to the rich.’’ It piration of the recess, and was called to Senator from North Dakota is recog- will reduce the revenue to the Federal order by the President pro tempore nized. Government by three-quarters of a tril- [Mr. THURMOND]. f lion dollars in the next 10 years, if we do what the Contract With America PRAYER THE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM wants us to do on revenues. The guest Chaplain, the Reverend Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, we are So there is room to disagree on these Paul Lavin, of St. Joseph’s Catholic hearing a great deal these days about proposals. But there is much more Church, offered the following prayer: something called the Contract With room to disagree on another proposal In Psalm 72 we read: America. It was constructed by the Re- at a time when some are saying, ‘‘let us cut taxes, especially for wealthier O God, give your judgment to those who publican Party prior to the 1994 elec- Americans, and let us build star wars govern. That they may govern your people tion and was designed by them to be a because we apparently have the money with justice, That the mountains may road map or a political device by which to do that.’’ yield their bounty for the people, and the they could tell the American people hills their great abundance. That they what they stand for and what they There is much more room for dis- may defend the oppressed among the peo- hoped to accomplish. Some of the con- agreement on the notion that we ought ple, save the poor and crush the oppres- tract makes good sense. Some of it to decide at this time in our country’s sor. continues and retains the same kinds history to repeal the School Lunch Act Let us pray: of policies that we on the Democratic and to eliminate the requirement that the poor children get free school Good and gracious God. You guide side of the aisle have been pushing for lunches. I can recall—as I told my col- and govern everything with order and some years. But some parts of the con- leagues last week—sitting in a hearing love. tract make no sense at all. one day and hearing a young boy Look upon the men and women of I stand on the Senate floor today to talk about something that soon will named David Bright from New York this U.S. Senate and fill them with City. His family had been down and Your wisdom. come to the floor from the other body as a result of action they took last out, down on their luck. They had no May these Senators and those who week. The House Economic and Edu- place to live, so they lived in a home- work with them always act in accord- cational Opportunities Committee less shelter. He described for us the ance with Your will and may their de- passed a bill that repeals the School rats in the homeless shelter, the living cisions be for the peace and well-being Lunch Act and replaces it with block conditions, and what it is like for a 9- of our Nation and of all the world. grants to the States. It also eliminates year-old boy to be hungry in school. Amen. the requirement that poor children get What he—this young boy—said to the f free school lunches. And, third, it Hunger Committee when he testified: RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME eliminates Federal nutrition standards. No young boy like me should have to put I say to my friends on other side of his head down on his desk at school in the The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the aisle who constructed this that afternoon because it hurts to be hungry. the previous order, leadership time is there is reason for us to differ on some It was some years ago that young reserved. things and that there is room to differ David told us that. But I have not for- f on many issues. We, for example, differ gotten what he said or how he said it. on the subject of whether this country How many in this Chamber have ever MORNING BUSINESS should build star wars. Some say the hurt because they were hungry in the The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under Contract With America says, ‘‘let us— afternoon? Not very many, I might say, the previous order, there will now be a despite the fact that the Soviet Union and probably none. But young children period for the transaction of morning is gone, vanished, done—build star do, if they come from families that are business for not to extend beyond the wars again. Let us spend tens of bil- disadvantaged. Young children do when hour of 12:30 p.m., with Senators per- lions of dollars building a star wars they come from families with no par- mitted to speak therein for not to ex- program.’’ ents. Young children do when they ceed 10 minutes each. They also say, ‘‘let us cut taxes; in come from homes without money to Mr. DORGAN addressed the Chair. fact, let us cut taxes and give the ma- buy breakfast or nutritious lunches. ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S3139 . VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:24 May 28, 2008 Jkt 041999 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 J:\ODA15\1995_F~1\S27FE5.REC S27FE5 mmaher on MIKETEMP with SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS S3140 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 1995 This country in its wisdom created dren must have access to free school ality is that many of them don’t get national nutrition standards and cre- lunches. It matters to all of us in this enough to eat at home and, if it ated the School Hot Lunch Program. It country to see that is done. weren’t for the School Lunch Program, also created another requirement that This is a fight and a discussion that they would be too malnourished to I am proud of. It is the requirement I am anxious to have in the coming learn. that says poor children in this country weeks when this bill comes to the Sen- So, Mr. President, this goes beyond will get free school lunches. ate, because this proposal is something simply a matter of nutrition. If we de- There ought not be anyone in this that we should change. prive children of a balanced meal, we Chamber and there ought not be any- Mr. President, I yield the floor. risk depriving them of their ability to one who disagrees with the basic as- Mr. DASCHLE addressed the Chair. learn and become productive citizens. sumption that it is our responsibility The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. STE- What a terrible mistake it would be to give free school lunches to poor chil- VENS). The minority leader is recog- if, in our attempts to reduce the na- dren. If we cannot, by looking into the nized. tional debt, we increased our nutri- eyes of children, understand the dimen- f tional debt to our children. What a ter- sions of a public policy that would CHILD NUTRITION rible mistake it would be if, in at- withhold food from children who are Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, let me tempting to brighten our future, we hungry, what on Earth can we do that commend the distinguished Senator forgot our past. is constructive in this body? from North Dakota for his eloquent re- We understood in Harry Truman’s I am hoping, when the product—that marks just now and identify with time the critical role nutrition plays in says in effect that we do not care about them. The Senator from North Dakota children’s physical and intellectual de- poor children and that there is no na- commented about the Contract With velopment. For nearly 50 years, we tional requirement here—is sent to us America and its ramifications on have acknowledged the direct link be- by the House of Representatives under school children. tween nutrition and education, and be- the Contract With America, that all of What I think some of our colleagues tween education and the ability to be us have the willingness to stand here in forget is that we have had a contract in productive citizens. the Senate and say, we disagree; poor this country for a long time with our When Americans think about cutting children matter, America’s kids mat- school children. At the heart of that government and redtape, taking food ter. contract is an understanding about the out of the mouths of children is not Let me use a couple of quotes just to important role that nutrition plays in what they have in mind. show you how those who push this Con- educating children today. This is a provision of the Contract tract With America have changed. In Our contract with school children With America, Mr. President, that I 1982, the current Speaker of the House grew out of our experience in World hope will be short-lived. It denigrates cosponsored a resolution written by War II, when large numbers of young the commitment we have made to chil- then-Representative Carl D.