Marcia Fudge

Ms. FUDGE

Ms. FUDGE. Madam Speaker, yes, Colorado has been a leader, but the bill specifically gives States the ability to spend savings any way they choose. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Negrete McLeod), another one of my colleagues on the Agriculture Committee. Mrs. NEGRETE McLEOD. Madam Speaker, I strongly oppose the proposed cuts offered by H.R. 3102. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I am greatly concerned that this is a $39 billion cut to our Nation's most powerful antipoverty tool--a tool because each month SNAP helps feed 3.4 million households with elderly individuals. In 2011, 4.8 million Americans over the age of 60 lacked access to food. Some seniors are already making the decision between food and their medicine. Cuts to SNAP will only intensify the problem, setting seniors into deeper destitution and hunger. I ask the bill's supporters: How will these Americans eat without the means to afford food? I urge my colleagues to remember the most vulnerable constituents in their States and to vote ``no'' on this bill.

Ms. FUDGE. Madam Speaker, I just want to say to my friend that able- bodied work has always been in the farm bill. What has changed by this bill is that it takes away the opportunities for Governors to request a waiver when their unemployment rate is very high. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Lujan Grisham), another member of the Agriculture Committee.

Ms. FUDGE. Madam Speaker, I do consider Mr. Southerland a friend, but I would just say that we cannot pick and choose what we take out of the Bible. The Bible mentions the words ``poor'' and ``hungry'' more than 200 times. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), another member of the Agriculture Committee.

Ms. FUDGE. Madam Speaker, I just want to say that one in eight Virginians are on SNAP and that able-bodied adults without dependents already work if there is a job. We all know that there are three people for every available job in this country. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Meng).

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that, in Mr. LaMalfa's district, 10 percent of all households are on SNAP. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Heck).

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, would you tell us how much time is still left in debate.

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi), another of my colleagues on the Agriculture Committee. (Mr. GARAMENDI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the Democratic whip, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Ms. FUDGE. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Vargas), another member of the Agriculture Committee.

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege and pleasure to yield 1 minute to our Democratic leader, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore). (Ms. MOORE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Sinema).

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time I have.

Ms. FUDGE. I thank the Chair. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Edwards).

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver).

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).

Ms. FUDGE. I yield to the gentlelady from Texas for a unanimous consent request. (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Chairman Lucas, for all of his work on the farm bill. I want to ask, though, why did we play this charade on the American people today? Why would we use hunger and poverty as a political football, a game, some kind of sport? This is the people's House, so let's do what is best for the American people. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said that the time is always right to do what is right. And to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I know there's been a lot of arm-twisting to get you to support this bill; but, fortunately, I have many friends on that side of the aisle. And my friends are known to be people who are compassionate, caring patriots. And I implore you to do what is right. Hopefully, you will all muster the courage to vote your conscience and do what is morally right because if you do it, the others who may not have as much courage as you will follow. You will set them free to do what is right. It is time to stand up for the American people. Vote ``no'' on this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. FUDGE

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, this week, I will reintroduce a resolution recognizing September as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. September marks an opportunity for Congress to raise awareness of the issue while also discussing ways we can engage our families and communities on how best to curb this unhealthy trend. Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in the United States have tripled. Today, nearly one in three children are overweight or obese. These numbers are even higher in minority communities, where nearly 40 percent of African American and Hispanic children are overweight. Children today experience a different lifestyle from 30 years ago, when kids ate less and exercised more. Many groups have stepped up to the plate to improve nutrition and physical activity for our children. Community partners like the Campaign to End Obesity, Cheer for a Healthier America, YWCA, and HealthCorps have taken the charge to achieve the healthiest lives we can give them. Let us use the month of September to elevate the issue of childhood obesity and recognize our community partners.

Ms. FUDGE

Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues Congressmen Jeffries and Horsford for once again leading the Congressional Black Caucus Special Order Hour. African Americans have had a long history with the labor movement. Within the labor community, African Americans joined with individuals of other races to advance efforts to create ladders to prosperity in an environment of economic and racial discrimination. In the 1800s, such efforts led to African American union visionaries, such as Isaac Myers, who realized the collective power of African Americans within the Trade Union movement. Under Myers, an organized group of ship caulkers purchased and operated the Chesapeake Marine Railway and Dry Dock Company in Baltimore. Within months, the cooperative employed 300 African American caulkers and received several government contracts. Nearly 100 years later, A. Phillip Randolph would organize the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Randolph was instrumental in uniting the African American Civil Rights community and the labor movement with the shared ideals of collective prosperity and economic security. Randolph proposed a 1941 March on Washington that heavily influenced the economic and social themes echoed by Bayard Rustin, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others who were instrumental in making the 1963 March on Washington a success. During celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington last month, we recalled the message of social and economic justice that union leaders spoke of in 1963. Dr. King was noted for saying, ``it's not enough to have a right to sit at a lunch counter if you can't afford to buy a meal.'' This message echoed the call of labor leaders who asked ``what good is it to be able to serve at the counter when you can't afford to buy a meal?'' Sadly, today, we must still ask this question. As the wealth gap continues to grow, income and food insecurity remain prevalent. The ladders to prosperity that Myers, Randolph and King spoke of are still inaccessible to many in our society--whether they are African American or another race or ethnicity. Many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle speak of disbanding labor unions and limiting collective bargaining rights. I proudly stand with our labor allies to fight these efforts because I know weakened organized labor means continued erosion of the middle class. The Members of the Congressional Black Caucus will continue to oppose devastating cuts to programs that will only increase economic despair. Together we will continue to propose and support policies that create economic opportunity for all people rather than for a select few.

Ms. FUDGE

Ms. FUDGE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank you, Congressman Jeffries, for leading the Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour on this very important topic tonight, a topic that has once again captured national attention and sparked a dialogue in communities across this Nation. On Friday, President Obama helped provide context to the emotion Americans--and particularly African American men--have had around the tragedy of Trayvon Martin. Over the weekend, people of all ages and races gathered at Federal Government buildings in their cities to stand together, to rise up for justice and in honor of Trayvon. To many, the verdict we all heard on Saturday, July 13, was a miscarriage of justice, a consistent failure of our system that we've seen in this country one too many times. But tonight, I want to broaden this conversation on race and justice in America. I want to talk about how the emotion and discontent we are seeing from the average community and people of other races in this country is about much more than the Zimmerman verdict. Much of the emotion we are seeing is in response to the continual attack on the rights and the closing of doors to opportunity for millions of individuals in this country. I'm not just talking about African Americans tonight. I'm talking about people who come from poor families, who are trying to find their way out of a cycle of poverty. I'm talking about students who are doing all they can to pay for school, but who have to choose between being in the classroom or paying back loans that are becoming a source of profit for the government to help decrease the deficit. I'm talking about thousands of students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities who had to leave school because of changes to loans their parents took out to help them get an education. These changes were made without any consideration of how they would hurt these young people. I'm talking about tonight, Mr. Speaker, immigrants of Hispanic, African, Asian, and European descent who are working in this Nation but have no rights. I'm talking about people in communities across this Nation who must now fight harder to have their voices heard in our democracy because others will use subversive, and now permissible, tactics to make it harder to vote. And, yes, to the Supreme Court of the United States, this is still a problem. You see, what we are experiencing and talking about right now is not just about Zimmerman. It is not just about race in America. It is about a system that should be just in creating and protecting the conditions for everyone to succeed, but instead it continues to favor some over others. Since its inception in 1971, the Congressional Black Caucus has stood against injustice in our society so that inequity in treatment and opportunity under the law comes to an end so that all people are treated equally. Today, we continue that fight and ask America to join with us, not so that one group of any particular race can win, but so that, in the end, we all win.