Bill Text: TX SCR26 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Urging Congress to ensure that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are adequate for the purchase of a healthy diet.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-26 - Left pending in committee [SCR26 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SCR26-Introduced.html
| 82R12342 BPG-D | ||
| By: Lucio | S.C.R. No. 26 | |
|
|
||
| WHEREAS, The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, issued by | ||
| the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of | ||
| Health and Human Services, calls for greater consumption of fruits | ||
| and vegetables, but the high cost of fresh produce discourages | ||
| participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program from | ||
| following this recommendation; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Fruits and vegetables are associated with reduced | ||
| risk of many chronic diseases and provide a number of nutrients that | ||
| are under-consumed in the U.S., including vitamins A, C, and K, as | ||
| well as potassium, fiber, and magnesium; moreover, they are | ||
| relatively low in calories; the USDA accordingly recommends that | ||
| Americans fill half their plates with these foods at every meal or | ||
| snack, which means most Americans should double their current | ||
| consumption of fruits and vegetables; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Unfortunately, the inflation-adjusted cost of fresh | ||
| fruits and vegetables rose nearly 40 percent over a 15-year period, | ||
| while the cost of nutrient-poor, high-calorie "junk" foods has | ||
| actually declined in recent years; for those with limited means, | ||
| the need to stretch their dollars may override the desire to make | ||
| healthy food choices; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The difficult economic climate has increased the | ||
| number of Americans receiving SNAP benefits, formerly known as food | ||
| stamps; as of January 2011, 43 million people, or one in seven | ||
| Americans, were participating in SNAP, and about half of them were | ||
| children; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Nearly one-third of all children and adolescents in | ||
| the United States are overweight or obese, and these youngsters are | ||
| increasingly developing "adult" diseases, such as type 2 diabetes | ||
| and hypertension; furthermore, they are at increased risk for heart | ||
| disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, and other serious chronic | ||
| conditions; medical expenses for obese children are approximately | ||
| three times higher than for other children, and childhood obesity | ||
| is estimated to cost the nation $14 billion in direct health | ||
| expenses; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In order to reduce the incidence of obesity-related | ||
| diseases and stem rising health care costs, it is crucial that all | ||
| Americans have access to foods that make up a healthy diet, but SNAP | ||
| benefits are currently insufficient to allow participants to make | ||
| fruits and vegetables the primary component of their meals; now, | ||
| therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to ensure that | ||
| benefits provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | ||
| are adequate for the purchase of a healthy diet; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official | ||
| copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to | ||
| the president of the Senate and speaker of the House of | ||
| Representatives of the United States Congress, to the secretary of | ||
| the United States Department of Agriculture, and to all the members | ||
| of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this | ||
| resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to | ||
| the Congress of the United States of America. | ||
