Statements For the Record

July 8, 2013

Ms. McCOLLUM: Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the families of the Rondo neighborhood in Saint Paul, Minnesota on the 30th anniversary of the Rondo Days festival. Rondo Days offers a remembrance of this historically African-American community that was dramatically altered by the construction of U.S. Interstate 94 in the mid-1960s. More importantly, Rondo Days is a celebration of the perseverance and tenacity of the modern Rondo community, which remains a vibrant, diverse and thriving neighborhood.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the many dedicated volunteers, exhibitors, sponsors and visitors of the Ramsey County Fair on the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of this community festival. This annual fair attracts thousands of attendees through a wide variety of events and activities that entertain families today.

Mr. Speaker, on June 10, 2013, Congressman Ellison and I hosted a listening session at the Minnesota State Capitol. We heard from Minnesotans affected by the House Farm Bill’s proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Below is testimony delivered by Dale Simonson and Patricia Lull.

Testimony from Dale Simonson, Minnesota Department of Human Services

Mr. Speaker, I remain in strong opposition to the House Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 (H.R. 1947) otherwise known as the ‘Farm Bill’. On June 20, 2013, I along with the majority of my colleagues voted against the House Republican’s extreme bill. Now farmers in Minnesota and across this country are depending on Congress to reach a bipartisan agreement that will continue to grow our agricultural economy and enable us to best meet our future agriculture needs.

Mr. Speaker, I am deeply disappointed that I must rise in opposition to H.R. 1960, the FY14 Defense Authorization Act. America’s men and women in uniform deserve, and Congress must pass, legislation that provides them with the resources they need to preserve our national security. Unfortunately, this bill does not reflect the range of 21^st-Century threats the United States must prepare for, nor does it reflect the urgent fiscal crisis this Congress must address. What this $638 billion defense bill does reflect, however, are misplaced priorities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to a bad bill that increases the cost of financing a higher education and adds to the burden of debt for students and their parents. Without quick Congressional action, the interest rate on subsidized Stafford loans will climb from 3.4% to 6.8% in July for all new loans. Students and families struggling to afford increasing college costs are relying on us to stop this dramatic increase now, and to work in a bipartisan way to find a long-term solution that will make financing a college education more affordable.

MS. McCOLLUM: Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of serving as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for eight years prior to being elected to Congress in 2000. One of my Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party colleagues from Minneapolis, State Rep. Karen Clark, was a constant and vocal champion for social justice, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and human rights. State Rep. Clark continues to serve in the Minnesota House, having just completed her thirty-third legislative session.

Mr. Speaker, the House Agriculture Committee will vote today on a Farm Bill that cuts $20 billion from nutrition support from the poorest, most vulnerable Americans – children, seniors, the disabled, and the working poor.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP – is a lifeline for nearly 50 million Americans to have access to healthy, affordable food and avoid hunger.

More than half of SNAP recipients live in deep poverty – an income of less than $10,000 a year for a family of three.