Political Quotes

“in the debate about child nutrition in the Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities we witnessed the triumph of ideology over practical public policy and the best interests of our children. The Republicans, who espouse a free-market economy, recently rejected my amendment to require States to use competitive bidding when purchasing infant formula for the WIC Program. Only one Republican had the courage to vote for my amendment. The only winners from this action are the big three infant formula companies. The losers are pregnant women and infants, many of whom will suffer from malnutrition or anemia, and the taxpayers who will get less efficient use of their tax dollars. Some would say that the States will continue to use competitive bidding. I would point out that fewer than half the States used competitive bidding prior to passage of the 1989 Federal law that required them to do so. When this amendment was adopted we found that it saved over $1 billion a year and enabled us to serve 1 million more pregnant women and infants a month. The committee voted to drop this requirement. Weakening cost containment measures will mean a less efficient, less effective program that gives taxpayers less return for their dollars but helps the three infant formula companies improve their balance sheets. Mr. Speaker, this program was designed to help poor women and children, not a few major corporations. Let us not take food out of the mouths of babies.”