David Obey: “Mr. Chairman, let me try to place this debate and discussion in some context. The fact of the matter is that in the last…”

“Mr. Chairman, let me try to place this debate and discussion in some context. The fact of the matter is that in the last session of the Congress, the Republican majority did not appropriate enough money for the WIC Program, Women, Infants and Children Program. They were forced, and in fact we helped to force them, to increase those dollars at the end of the process so that women, infants, and children would not be thrown off of the program. In fact, in several States that process has started. But the Democrats forced that debate in order for there to be an increase in funding in the WIC Program, what my colleague from Wisconsin is trying to do, because once again the Republican majority is shortchanging the WIC program and we will find ourselves in the same position where we will look at approximately 55,000 people, women, infants and children, who will not be able to avail themselves of the program. My colleague from Wisconsin is trying to avoid that situation and in fact restore money so that we will not have to take women, infants and children off of this program. This program, we find, is a cost-effective one. It saves us dollars in other programs. It is a wise investment. What the Obey amendment is suggesting is that what we take the money from is the increase in the insurance rates to those who offer crop insurance to farmers.”