February 5, 1975
Page 2601
BLOCKING THE FOOD STAMP COST INCREASE
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, I will vote in favor of S. 35, a bill to freeze food stamp costs at the January 1 level through 1975. The administration's plan to increase the cost of food stamps to 30 percent of income across the board is a misplaced and misguided economy.
The fool stamp program is designed to give the poorest of our people – those who must commit all of their economic resources to living day to day – a chance to have an adequate diet. It is not an extravagant program. Simply, it is designed to help hungry people feed themselves.
Going hungry is far from an idle speculation for many, many people in my home State of Maine.
With the drastic recent increase in energy prices, many of the elderly and poor in Maine are already being forced to choose between food, energy and medical care. A few statistics show the gravity of their problem. There are about 165,000 people 60 and older in Maine – more than 15 percent of the population. In Southern Maine last year, about one-fourth of older people had incomes less than $2,000. More than half had incomes less than $3,000. And in York County nearly 70 percent had incomes under $3,000. And southern Maine is regarded to be better off in economic terms than other parts of the State.
Heating bills of $800 or $1,000 a year are not at all uncommon, even with conservation measures that most of us would consider drastic if not impossible to bear – thermostats at 55° or 60°; living reduced to one room of the house.
The cost of rent is rising. The cost of health care is rising, even with medicare. The cost of electricity and other utilities – all these costs are combining to squeeze dry the incomes of the poor. There simply is not enough money each month for all the necessities, let alone such luxuries as a telephone or a new winter coat.
It is these people that the food stamp program was designed to help. If the administration's proposal goes into effect, even food stamps will be too expensive for many people. They will give up the opportunity for an adequate diet, because they will simply not be able to afford it.
Mr. President, while visiting my home State last month, I had the opportunity to meet in Lewiston with a group of State officials and more than 125 food stamp recipients, in an effort to learn of their problems firsthand.
The people at that meeting were disappointed. They were angry. They told me they felt the Government had abandoned them. They need food, but they cannot afford adequate food without help. The administration's program, they said, would put even food stamps beyond their means.
Mr. President, I share the concern that the food stamp program is being abused by some people in higher income categories. And I support the proposal for a strict and comprehensive examination of possible abuses. But if we allow the administration's program to go into effect, we will be punishing the many for the abuses of the few.
Mr. President, our favorable votes today, we will serve notice that we will not abandon the principle of equity, and we will not abandon those of our people who need our help most in these difficult economic times.