Congressional Food Stamp Challenge

Final Entry

Yesterday, Lisa and I ended our "food stamp challenge."  We did it because we wanted to raise awareness, to learn, and to pressure our colleagues in Congress to do more to make certain the food stamp benefit is adequate. 

Many of our colleagues were surprised to learn that the minimum benefit is $10 per month -- something that hasn't changed since the mid-1970's. Many were also unaware of the difficult choices so many in our country must deal with each and every day.  Some have told me that they themselves might undertake their own food stamp challenge.  I hope they do.  But, even more, I hope they'll vote to improve the program and other nutrition initiatives.

This afternoon I am meeting with the leaders of several non-profits that work to fight hunger.  These organizations are on the front line in the battle against hunger -- and I am eager to partner with them in support of legislation (HR 2129) to better fund food stamps and other nutrition programs.

Although these federal programs are vitally important in the battle against hunger, I also am aware of the need to better support our nation's food banks and local anti-hunger initiatives.  I have learned a great deal about effective ways to make sure people have adequate nutrition from my own local food bank -- the Worcester County Food Bank.

Finally, Lisa and I are grateful for all the comments, advice and suggestions that so many people have given us.  It has been inspiring -- and it has given me hope that we can actually get something positive accomplished.

One more thing, please make sure that your Congressperson or Senator is active on these issues.  Make it a point to e-mail, write or call them.  Ask them to cosponosor HR 2129.  Tell them your own stories.  Don't let them off the hook.  Remember, we work for you -- not the other way around!

Stay in touch....

   Major provisions pf HR 2129:

• Raise the minimum benefit from $10 to about $30 per month so that everybody who qualifies for the program gets a real help up
• Peg benefits to inflation to stop the erosion of the purchasing power of food stamps
• Restore eligibility to all legal residents
• Raise the asset limits for eligibility so that families on food stamps are encouraged to save for college and retirement
• Allow families to deduct the full cost of childcare when determining their eligibility

Speech on the Food Stamp Challenge

This morning, I gave a speech on the Floor of the House of Representatives about my experience taking the Food Stamp Challenge the past six days.  I have pasted it below.

"Today is my final day on the “Food Stamp Challenge,” an initiative where public officials eat for one week on a food stamp budget—21 dollars for the week – that’s three dollars a day, or one dollar per meal. This amount reflects the national average food stamp benefit.  

The purpose of the Food Stamp Challenge is to raise awareness of the crucial role the Food Stamp Program serves in the lives of 26 million Americans each month, including over 450,000 in my state of Massachusetts. Three of my esteemed colleagues –Representatives Jo Ann Emerson, Jan Schakowsky, and Tim Ryan – joined me in taking this challenge over the past week. Although we may be less energetic and perhaps crankier than when we started the challenge nearly a week ago, each of us has learned a great deal. 

Certainly, my wife, Lisa, and I have gained valuable insights from our experience on a very tight budget. We have much more sympathy over how the lack of energy and the hard choices on how to stretch the budget and put food on the table might also stretch one’s patience and stress a marriage.  We can imagine the worry and pain of parents if we had to feed our children on this kind of budget—these are just a few of our reflections over the past week.

 

Yet, truly, our most valuable lessons came from the scores of individuals who reached out to us to share their personal experiences struggling to put food on the table for their families. Whether they posted comments on our blog or called my office and spoke with my staff, these individuals taught Lisa and me about how hard-working Americans manage to provide for themselves and their families in spite of inadequate food stamp benefit levels. They talked about having to make tough trade-offs between paying utility bills, buying clothes for their children, addressing medical needs, and purchasing food. They also described the trade-off between eating to be healthy and eating to be full. These kinds of trade-offs are unfair and unacceptable.

 

America can and should do more for low-income individuals and families working hard to survive every day. One way we can do that is through the Feeding America’s Families Act, a bill I introduced earlier this month with my colleague, Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson. The Feeding America’s Families Act would strengthen the Food Stamp Program to better meet the needs of low-income Americans. It raises the minimum benefit from 10 dollars a month—an amount that has not increased since the 1970s—to about 30 dollars a month. It also indexes current benefit levels to the rate of inflation, ensuring that the purchasing power of food stamps remains constant. Furthermore, because access to the Food Stamp Program should be the right of every lawfully-residing person in this country, the bill restores eligibility to all legal immigrants, a provision that was removed in 1996.

 

On Sunday, May 13^th, Mother’s Day, the New York Times editorial stated that “bolstering food stamps must be Congress’s top priority in this year’s farm bill.” I could not agree more, and my week on the Food Stamp Challenge has only strengthened my conviction. I encourage all my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 2129, Feeding America’s Families Act, and other legislative efforts to bolster and improve our federal hunger and nutrition programs. The cliché tells us that where there’s a will, there’s a way, but in this case, the way is very clear. The question is: do we have the political will? " "

Saturday -- Day 5

We decided to take the food stamp challenge to raise awareness, to educate people and to compel action.  We also did this to learn. 

Some have called my office over the last several days both "pro" and "con" what we are doing.  I am grateful for all the comments.

Those who have been critical have been mostly people who, I believe, have some bad information about about the food stamp program and about hunger in America.  Some have suggested that food stamp recipients get a job.  The reality is that most have jobs!  Others have accused us of exaggerating the problem of hunger in our country.  The fact is, according to US government statistics, there are over 35 million Americans who are hungry or food insecure.  There is not a community in the United States of America that is hunger free. That, in my view, is something we all should be ashamed of. 

A few people have complained that those of us who are doing this cannot possibly have any idea of what it is like to be struggling as low-income families.  I believe this criticism has some merit.   Because for us this food stamp challenge is an exercise that will end on Tuesday.  After that we will go back to our regular lives and regular habits where we do not have to worry about the planning, preparing and anxiety of living on a food stamp budget.

Reporters have asked us,  "Are you hungry?"  "Are you tired?"  "Will you run out of food?" or "Are you cheating?"  Yes, I'm a little hungry and a little tired.  No, I don't think we'll run out of food because we think we planned OK.  And, no, we haven't cheated.  But, I must confess, I feel a little embarrassed even saying I'm a little hungry or tired.  It sounds like complaining.  And the fact is we are very, very lucky - luckier than most people.  My biggest temptations have been the appetizers at receptions and banquets.  Most Americans don't have access to what Members of Congress have access to everyday.

It is sometimes easy to get detached from the reality of poverty when you're in Washington.  I would like to believe that I never have.  But, the experience of the last several days, the comments on the blog, the calls to my office, reporters' questions and the people I have talked to in Massachusetts and around the country have given me an education.  I am grateful for that -- and I and others need to take what we've learned and do something about it.

A reporter from the Boston Globe, Bella English, followed Lisa and I around for a couple of days.  Her story appears in todays Globe which I hope will generate further discussion and get people thinking of ways to improve the status quo.  The link to the Globe is below: 

http://www.boston.com/

Some additional thoughts

Looking over some of the comments on this blog that people have shared with me, I have learned a great deal.  I appreciate the personal stories and the personal insights.  Our goal for this "food stamp challenge" was to spark a real discussion about the real life difficulties that many in America face in trying to put food on their tables.  I am encouraged that such a discussion is beginning -- as evidenced by the many postings on this blog.   We need to make sure it continues well after this week-long food stamp challenge ends.  That's the way we're going to change policy.

One last thing...it's day three and so far so good.

The false "Fraud and Abuse" argument

This morning I gave a 1-minute speech on the House floor taking on the issue of "fraud and abuse" in the Food Stamp Program:

"Mr. Speaker, today is the third day of my week on the “Food Stamp Challenge.”  The Challenge is an initiative where public officials live for one week on a food stamp budget in order to raise awareness about the Food Stamp Program.  Three of my esteemed colleagues – Representatives Jo Ann Emerson from Missouri, Tim Ryan from Ohio, and Jan Schakowsky from Illinois – also are taking part. 

"Although critics of the Food Stamp Program frequently speculate that it runs rampant with fraud, waste, and abuse, this is simply and utterly untrue.  Don’t just take my word for it – go ask the Government Accountability Office.  According to GAO, the Food Stamp Program currently operates at historically low error rates.  Between 1999 and 2005, the national payment error rate declined 40 percent to an all-time low of 5.84 percent.  In addition, there are incentives built into the program so that states are rewarded for low error rates and may be fined if they are underperforming.

"By any measure, the Food Stamp Program is an example of an efficiently-run government program."

Here's a link to the GAO study I mentioned in my speech:

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07422t.pdf

 

Challenge - Day 2

Last night I attended a banquet for the National Immigration Forum at the Mayflower Hotel, where I was a guest speaker.  I had planned to eat dinner before hand -- knowing that a sit-down dinner was to be served.   Unfortunately, the Rules Committee hearing on the Defense Bill went extra long.  I didn't have a chance to eat.

I was extremely hungry.  The hors d'oeuvres looked terrific -- so did the red wine.  I settled for a glass of tap water.

Thankfully, my wife, Lisa, arrived at the beginning of the dinner with an egg and cheese sandwich on a tortilla.  I ate it in 3 seconds (people looked at me as if I were crazy). 

Luckily, the Rules Committee was called back into session and I had to leave before everyone was served.

This morning I attended a fundraiser in my honor at Bistro Bis restaurant at the Hotel George.  I brought a banana for breakfast.  Others were served eggs, bacon, potatoes, sweet rolls, butter, jam and great smelling coffee.  I had water with my banana.  I would have killed for one slice of bacon (too many people watching). 

Jo Ann, Jan and I had lunch together in Jo Ann's office.  I traded my lentils for JoAnn's salad of lettuce and chicken (it looked better and tasted better...besides I had lentils for lunch yesterday).

Lisa and I are trying to be careful not to eat too much.  Our groceries need to last 7days!  It is especially difficult to not want to eat at receptions, breakfasts and dinners.

Tonight I am going to a Hillary Clinton event at the home of Ambassador Elizabeth and Smith Bagely's house.  Once again, it's a sit down dinner.  I am bringing my own dinner -- chicken and rice in tupperware.