The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S2579-S2580 on Feb. 13, 1995.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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BLOCK GRANTS
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, in recent weeks much has been written and said about proposals to combine all Federal food assistance programs into a block grant to States. The debate has lead to a close examination of nutrition programs such as WIC and the School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. As a strong supporter of these vital programs, I have been deeply concerned about the potential consequences such action could have on our Nation's most vulnerable--children, pregnant women, and senior citizens.
The Census Bureau estimates that more than 37 million Americans live below the poverty line. More distressing, however, is that children continue to be the poorest age group in the country. Over the past 20 years, the number of American children in poverty has increased by more than 37 percent. According to data released by the National Center for Children in Poverty last month, 6 million American children under age 6 were living in poverty in 1992--the highest rate since researchers have been documenting such figures.
Mr. President, in my view, we have a responsibility to these children. If our children are to succeed in an increasingly competitive world, efforts to guarantee them access to basic nutrition services must be maintained and expanded. Traditionally, the Federal Government has exhibited a strong commitment to its food assistance programs and many of these programs are among the most successful of all Federal initiatives.
Take, for example, the WIC or Women, Infants, and Children Program. WIC provides food vouchers and nutrition education to pregnant women and young children and is expected to support an average of 7.2 million participants at an average monthly cost of $42.38 per person per month in fiscal year 1995. The General Accounting Office estimates that WIC services to pregnant women who gave birth in 1990 cost the Federal Government nearly $296 million, but could save a projected $1.036 billion in Federal, State, local, and private dollars by the year 2008. According to a Harvard University study, every dollar spent on prenatal care through the WIC Program saves as much as $3 in future health care costs. The Department of Agriculture also estimates that every dollar spent on prenatal care through the WIC
Program results in a significant Medicaid savings within the first 60 days after birth.
The WIC Program not only provides taxpayers one of the greatest returns on their investment, it has also improved the long-term health of millions of American women and children. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, since the inception of the WIC Program, low birthweight rates have dropped, the prevalence of anemia in preschool-
aged children has declined, and the incidence of stunting has decreased by nearly 65 percent.
To date, this important program has served almost 90,000 of more than 210,000 eligibles in my home State of
[[Page S2580]] Maryland. If this program were to become part of a block grant to States, the USDA estimates that at least 12 percent of the total funding for the program would be cut, which translates to a loss of approximately $3.6 million for Maryland.
I wonder, Mr. President how many people realize that the National School Lunch Program--the oldest of all child nutrition programs--
serves more than 25 million meals daily and boasts a 90-percent participation rate of schools nationwide? The average daily participation rate in Maryland is estimated to be around 374,855 children out of a public school enrollment of 763,274--nearly half of all children enrolled in the Maryland public school system. The Maryland State Department of Education estimates that Maryland would lose more than $22 million in funding for fiscal year 1996 if proposals to block grant nutrition programs were implemented.
In addition, block granting nutrition programs would effectively eliminate all uniform national standards for nutrition. These standards, which were strengthened last year through the Better Nutrition and Health for Children Act, appropriately recognized that in providing food assistance to needy children, it is equally important to make certain that the food provided is nutritious. To neglect this important aspect of the debate would be truly irresponsible.
A recent editorial in the Baltimore Sun stated that ``By and large, Federal food programs work well. They reach the people who need them, and their existence over the past couple of decades has demonstrably reduced hunger and malnutrition.'' Mr. President, Federal food assistance programs do work well. They achieve their desired goals with a high degree of efficiency and success. In this case, the old adage
``if it's not broke, don't fix it'' rings true.
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