Speech #1050144450

Second Harvest and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have all reported major increases in request for emergency food assistance while food pantries are going empty and are turning people away. In my home State of Texas. 124.000 legal immigrants lost food stamps. 13.090 of these who lost food stamps are childrenl The State itself is only able to cover approximately 15.000 people under a State program for elderly and disabled during this biennium. The elimination of food stamp benefits for adults without children is calculated to create a mass of people who are desperate to take any job. no matter how poor the wages and conditions. It will serve to intimidate all lower paid workers. a valuable and crucial section of the American work force. President Clinton singled out these welfare provisions as particularly unfair. and has since asked for $2 billion to restore benefits to about 730.000 immigrants. Striking this rule would deny almost a million people. old and young. and those contributing as a valuable force to our nations economy. I vote not to strike the rule and to reauthorize food stamps. [] 1115