12.11.01

Statement of Senator Maria Cantwell

Lugar Amendment #2473Agriculture, Conservation, and Rural Enhancement Act of 2001 (S. 1731)

Mr. President I rise today to discuss the Lugar Amendment to the Farm Bill before us and to express my strong support for the nutrition provisions included in the underlying bill as introduced by Senator Harkin.

I want to make it clear that while I appreciate Senator Lugar's investment in food stamps and food nutrition programs, I oppose the Lugar provisions on the commodity title because it undermines a crucial safety net for our nation's farmers. These commodity assistance programs are vital to the competitiveness and survival of the U.S. farming base and the rural communities that depend on a healthy agricultural economy.

I applaud Senator Lugar's attention to the need to expand the food stamp program in this difficult economic time. The food stamp program is one of the most effective and efficient ways we directly help low-income families, and the elderly and disabled. The language in Senator Harkin's bill will make this important program more efficient and effective for those who rely on it most.

There is no doubt that the economy is weaker than it was at this time last year -- or even this summer when we passed President Bush's tax cuts. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announced on Monday that the country has a $63 billion deficit in the first two months of the new fiscal year. CBO's report attributes most of the extra spending to increased Medicaid costs and unemployment benefit claims.

This does not surprise me, especially when one considers these indicators of the current state of Washington's economy:

Unemployment rose a half-point in October to reach 6.6 percent in the state -- the highest rate in the nation; New claims filed for unemployment insurance claims rose 33 percent over the same month last year; We now have the highest number of initial unemployment insurance claims since 1981; And unfortunately, one of our strongest and most stable employers - Boeing - has announced that 14,000 of its workers in Washington state are going to be out of a job by next summer. This news is absolutely devastating for my state - according to the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, for every Boeing job lost the region loses another 1.7 jobs. There is no doubt that our economy works best when people are working. But when people lose their jobs, they need help to manage their unemployment, train for new jobs, and make an easy transition to new careers. And this includes broad-based assistance to families, especially through the food stamp and other federal nutrition programs. If families are hungry and not meeting their basic needs, they certainly cannot focus on the training they need to attain long-term stability and self-sufficiency.

I believe that strengthening the food stamp program to assist low-wage workers and those recently out of work is a critical component of Congress's response to the weakening economy. Unfortunately, as the economy deteriorates many working families are joining the lines at local food banks. Just this week, the Seattle Times reported on the food shortages in our area food banks and the fact that so many families are now seeking assistance from the very food banks to which they once donated. In fact, food stamp participation in Washington state increased over the last 12 months by 8.2 percent. But I am particularly concerned about those who are eligible for food stamps but do not use them - since we passed the 1996 welfare reform legislation, food stamp participation rate decreased 32.2 percent in Washington state.

Sadly, the percentage of households with children facing food insecurity - those who do not know where their next meal is coming from -- is higher in Washington state than across the rest of the country. And food insecurity among emergency food recipients -- those going to food banks, to emergency kitchens and shelters - is nearly 50 percent higher in Washington than the rest of the country. And this is despite the fact that over 315,000 people in the State of Washington participate in the food stamp program, and 153,000 people participate in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.

I strongly support the nutrition provisions in the underlying bill. In order to address the increasing need for food stamp and other federal nutrition support, Senator Harkin has increased mandatory food stamp spending by $6.2 billion over the next ten years.

The Harkin Farm bill provides an extension for transitional food stamps for families moving from welfare to work; extension of benefits for adults without dependents; and increased funding for the employment and training program. The bill would allow households with children to set aside larger amounts of income before the food stamp benefits would begin to phase out.

Importantly, the bill simplifies the program for state administrators and participating families. Specifically, it simplifies income and resource counting, calculation of expenses for deductions, and determination of ongoing eligibility in the program. Together, these improvements will help both states and recipients because they lower burdens and increase coordination with other programs, such as Medicare, TANF, and child care, that the states administer.

I am particularly pleased that the bill restores food stamp benefits for all legal immigrant children and persons with disabilities. According to Census data, 27 percent of children in poverty live in immigrant families, 21 percent are citizen children of immigrant parents, and six percent are immigrants themselves.

Unfortunately, many citizen children of legal immigrants who remain eligible for the food stamp program are not participating. Many of their families are confused about food stamp eligibility rules, and in some cases, the child's benefit is too small for the household to invest the effort to maintain eligibility. In fact, since 1994, over one million citizen children with immigrant parents have left the program despite remaining eligible.

After the federal government eliminated food stamp benefits for legal immigrants Washington state was the first state to put its own funds toward restoring food stamp eligibility for legal immigrants. The State Food Assistance Program uses state funds to support legal immigrants who were disqualified as a result of the 1996 welfare reform law. In fact, 11 percent of all food assistance clients in WA State are legal immigrants. This bill restores the federal commitment to ensuring that legal immigrants have access to these important federal programs.

When we passed President Bush's tax cut, I said that I believed the country is at a critical juncture in setting our fiscal priorities -- deciding between maintaining our fiscal discipline and investing in the nation's future education and health care needs, or cutting the very services used daily by our citizens. That statement is even more relevant today. Passing the food stamp expansions included in the Harkin Farm Bill gives working families struggling to make ends meet the security they need in these uncertain times.