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Sanders Speaks Out Against President Bush's Attempt to Eliminate Critical Program Providing Food to Low-Income Seniors

Date: Feb. 20, 2006
Location: Burlington, VT
Issues: Agriculture and Food


Sanders Speaks Out Against President Bush's Attempt to Eliminate Critical Program Providing Food to Low-Income Seniors

2/20/2006

Burlington, VT-Congressman Bernie Sanders today held a press conference to discuss his efforts to stop the Bush Administration's attempt to eliminate the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). The CSFP provides more than 400,000 low-income seniors, as well as mothers, infants and children across the country, with key nutrients typically lacking in their diet. In his recently proposed budget, President Bush eliminates all funding for this program, leaving thousands of Vermonters and hundreds of thousands of seniors nationwide without this vital assistance.

Sanders said, "The Commodity Supplemental Food program provides thousands of seniors, mothers, and children in Vermont with the food they need to stay healthy. It is absolutely unconscionable for the Bush Administration to attempt to take this program away from the people who depend on it."

More than 4000 Vermonters are currently served by CSFP. Last year, The Vermont Food Bank distributed 1.8 million pounds of CSFP food to 151 sites across Vermont. To be eligible, seniors must have income at or below 130% of the federal poverty line (currently about $12,400 per year for a single person and $16,700 for a couple.) CSFP also provides food packages to low-income pregnant and post-partum women, infants, and children up to age six that are at or below approximately 185% of the poverty line.

In the coming weeks, Congressman Sanders will lead a coalition in Congress to ensure that funding for this vital program is not eliminated during the upcoming appropriations process. The coalition will send a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, who oversee funding for the program, urging them not to follow the Bush Administration's request to eliminate the program.

Sanders said, "This is a program that thousands of seniors in Vermont depend on. It is absolutely critical that this program is able to continue to serve Vermonters and I will do everything I can in Congress to keep the Bush Administration eliminating it."

http://bernie.house.gov/documents/document.asp?issueNum=4790

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