Marcy Kaptur: “Mr. Chairman, I rise in very reluctant opposition to this amendment, mainly because of the offset and not because of the…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in very reluctant opposition to this amendment, mainly because of the offset and not because of the worthiness of the gentleman's objective here in trying to lessen the burden on seniors who participate in our elderly feeding programs. I have to say to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) that I have the highest regard for him and for his trying to be a voice here so ably for all the seniors of our country and their nutrition needs. But for the record I do want to point out that our subcommittee, under great strain, was able to meet the administration's request for all feeding programs, including the elderly feeding program. And, in fact, because we were able to transfer funds, $10 million from other accounts, we were able to increase the amount of funds available in this account from $141 million that is being spent this year to $151 million next year. So that is an increase, and that would help tick up the amount of funds available across our country. Since 1993, the program that the gentleman wants to take the money from, the PL-480 program, has been cut by nearly half, and for this coming fiscal year, even in the bill we are presenting today, we are $37 million below the administration's request in an account that has been reduced by 42 percent over the decade of the 1990s. So I would beg of the gentleman to find another offset. I think I sort of feel he is doing half right and half wrong here.”