Political Quotes

“if anyone needed an example of how Congress misses opportunities to make a difference, they need only to look at today's discussion of H.R. 339, a fast food tort reform bill. The very title invites parody. At a time when obesity is the fastest growing health care in America, affecting over one-third of American adults and touching almost every family, and when we have particular concern about an explosion of childhood obesity and related illnesses, there is good reason for Congress to become concerned. Congress could make a real difference by providing reasonable diet standards including school lunch programs to help remedy this epidemic. Another step would be to have education reform and 'leave no child behind,' have a provision dealing with children's health. Physical education is not a part of Congress' answer to school reform, and we find today that most of our children do not get regular physical activity as a daily part of the school curriculum. In our transportation bill we could provide major opportunities for safe routes to school so that our children could walk and bike to school on their own. These would be simple, commonsense, cost-effective steps to improve the health of our children and their families, while improving the environment and quality of life. Instead of dealing substantively with the obesity problem, Congress in its wisdom has seen fit to continue selectively tinkering with the legal system by providing immunity from litigation.”