Bernie Sanders: “I am proud to offer this bipartisan amendment with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) to increase nutrition…”

“I am proud to offer this bipartisan amendment with the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) to increase nutrition programs for senior citizens by $10 million. Last year, the gentleman from New Jersey and I offered a similar amendment which passed on the floor of this House, but which did not survive the conference committee. This year, we are going to do our best to see that it does survive the conference. Mr. Chairman, the truth of the matter is that as a wealthy Nation we do not treat our senior citizens with the kind of respect that we should. Half of the seniors in this country have incomes of under $15,000 a year. Four million live in poverty, and 16 million in near poverty. Most shamefully in this country today, which recently has seen a proliferation of millionaires and billionaires, tens and tens of thousands of senior citizens are malnourished and do not get the kind of nutritious diet they require. Sixteen percent of the people who receive food from emergency food banks are elderly people 65 years of age or older. Studies conducted at the University of Florida found that over 66 percent of beneficiaries of senior nutrition programs are at moderate to high risk of malnutrition. Mr. Chairman, that is not what should be going on in the United States of America. We must do better. And the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) and I are trying to do that.”