Pete Sessions: “I am very, very reluctant to rise in opposition to this conference report as it is presently constituted, and in support…”

“I am very, very reluctant to rise in opposition to this conference report as it is presently constituted, and in support of the motion to return this legislation to the conference committee. I believe, however, that returning this legislation to the conference committee is the proper and appropriate thing to do. Having said that, I feel that there are some marvelous provisions contained within this bill. For example, agricultural research is very important, and this legislation will strengthen and improve the work being done to advance this field. Similarly, crop insurance will be made sound under this legislation. Both are matters of critical importance to me. I do not believe that sending the legislation back to the conference committee to fix this bill's entitlement expansion in the Food Stamp Program will kill this bill or extraordinarily delay it or in any way jeopardize the fundamental reforms that are contained in it. Sending the bill back to conference simply reflects routine business practices in this Senate. Under this legislation's expansion of the food stamp entitlement, 250,000 new people will be added to the food stamp rolls. In my last campaign, I talked about the fact that the President had committed to undermining the welfare reform bill that was passed several years ago. These provisions have proven that statement to be true. This bill expands from 5 to 7 years the amount of time noncitizens can draw food stamps.”