Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2020

Floor Speech

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Mr. LANKFORD. Mr. President, I encourage my colleagues to pass this amendment that has been called up and that we are going to vote for here in just a few moments. Senator Cortez Masto and I worked together on this. She has been the lead on this whole issue. I am proud to cosponsor it with her.

This is a basic study of how we can make sure that the food benefits the USDA is choosing to provide and that together we are providing as Federal taxpayers to Indian reservations is actually getting to people who need it the most.

At this point, the USDA program is set up so that people have to come to a central distribution area to get access to food. Many elderly and disabled cannot go to a central distribution area to get access to food. If we are going to have a food program like this, let's make sure we are actually getting food to where people need it the most.

There are other programs that are in the Federal program right now, like Meals on Wheels and other programs that are designated, where we can partner with groups to make sure food gets there, but there are other programs, like this program, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, that may not be getting to where food is needed the most for the most number of people.

I think other programs will need a study like this as well. We have other child nutrition programs, for instance, that happen in the summertime, where children, just as in this program set up on Indian reservations, have to come to a central location to get access to food. Many children don't have the ability to get transportation to get food. So those individuals and those families who need the most help are facing yet another hurdle to get help.

This is a study, and I think it is the first step to make sure that what we do is done well, is done efficiently, and that the intended outcome to help people is accurately occurring.

I thank Senator Cortez Masto for stepping up and for her leadership for this. I am proud to be a cosponsor with her.

I look forward to our colleagues voting for this, getting the results of this study, and actually making sure that in the days ahead, food assistance is getting to places where people need it the most.

With that, I yield back.

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