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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The United States Congress established the |
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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with the expressed goals |
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of alleviating hunger and malnutrition and safeguarding the health |
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and well-being of members of low-income households; and |
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WHEREAS, Food stamp benefits are administered in Texas |
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through the Lone Star Card; and |
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WHEREAS, During fiscal year 2015, the Texas Health and Human |
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Services Commission recorded a monthly average of 3.78 million |
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recipients for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; and |
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WHEREAS, Total benefits awarded through the Supplemental |
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Nutrition Assistance Program in Texas were worth $5.2 billion |
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during fiscal year 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Section 3(k) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, |
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which authorized the program and changed the name of the benefits |
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from food stamps, defines "food" in broad and expansive terms, and |
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as a result, SNAP participants are able to purchase nutritionally |
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deficient food items as well as unnecessarily expensive or |
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luxurious products; the allowance of these expenditures directly |
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contradicts the program's mission; and |
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WHEREAS, Each year, public funding goes to cover SNAP |
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purchases of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages that the U.S. |
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Department of Agriculture has labeled as having "minimal |
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nutritional value," and SNAP participants can use their benefits to |
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buy candy, cookies, ice cream, chips, and other items that are high |
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in fat or sugar but very low in nutrients; such beverages and snacks |
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contribute to obesity, cause increased rates of diabetes and other |
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chronic diseases, and lead to higher medical costs; with millions |
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of SNAP participants also enrolled in Medicaid, these health issues |
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further contribute to growing costs for the federal government; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, 45.8 million Americans participate in SNAP, |
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and the program costs about $70 billion annually; many citizens are |
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becoming increasingly concerned that their tax dollars are being |
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subjected to inefficient and wasteful spending; and |
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WHEREAS, With the large number of families dependent on SNAP, |
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it is imperative that the program support good nutrition, rather |
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than subsidize the purchase of products that negatively affect |
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public health; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to amend |
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the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to limit the types of food items |
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eligible for purchase under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance |
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Program; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |