Recognizing 40th Anniversary Of The Food And Nutrition Service
Floor Speech
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Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 164 and yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 164 recognizes the 40th anniversary of the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The mission of the Food and Nutrition Service is to provide children and low-income families better access to food and a more healthful diet through its food assistance programs and comprehensive nutrition education efforts.
FNS administers the most important Federal nutrition programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program; the School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as the WIC program; the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides various commodities to our Nation's food banks; as well as other child and adult care food programs.
FNS is better able to serve our Nation's hungry because of the bounty of America's farmers and ranchers. FNS is able to use surplus commodities in their various feeding programs, thus ensuring those in need receive foods produced by the American farmer and rancher.
Many people do not realize that funding for domestic food assistance programs represents two-thirds of the USDA's budget. For fiscal year 2009, the enacted omnibus appropriations measure included $76.2 billion for the programs administered by FNS. With the economy continuing to struggle, FNS has seen a record enrollment of 33.8 million food stamp participants. Clearly, the Food and Nutrition Service, in working cooperatively with the States, has a large and important role in serving those in need.
And again, I want to recognize the 40th anniversary of USDA's Food and Nutrition Service and ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
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