Political Quotes

“Today I rise to plead for the restoration of food programs like SNAP that have been targeted for reduction by billions of dollars due to sequestration and direct cuts. In 2013, according to the Houston Food Bank's ``Map the Meal Gap'' report, the overall food insecurity for Houston Food Bank's eight- county service area was 18.5 percent, and children's food insecurity was 24.2 percent. The Shriver Report just issued indicated that there are some 48 million women living in poverty and 22 million children. The Houston Food Bank reports that 415,000 children, or one in four children in their service area, are food-insecure, and when we had a meeting with the chronically unemployed, the food bank acknowledged that the social network is overworked and over-serviced, although I know they will work to do their best. 11,000 more children are food-insecure than in this year, and 21,000 more adults are food-insecure. That is why I am introducing H.R. 3888, the New Chance For a New Start Life Act of 2014, to train the chronically unemployed, some 37.7 percent of the unemployed. I also want to salute, Mr. Speaker, the Alpha Kappa Alphas. This is their Founder's Day on January 15, as well as the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. In their name, let us do for those who need. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on the importance of two of our nation's safety net programs--unemployment insurance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP.…”