Reps. Leland, Mayes, Tobocman, Condino, Hopgood, Clack, Alma Smith, Donigan, Miller, Bennett, Cushingberry, Byrum, Plakas, Hood, Hunter, Lipsey, Kolb, Sak, Farrah, Sheltrown, Polidori, David Law, Green, Anderson, Bieda, Espinoza, McDowell, Clemente, Gaffney, Wojno, Byrnes, Spade, Meisner, Brown, Adamini, Whitmer, Waters, Zelenko, Virgil Smith, Accavitti, Ball, Stewart, Nofs, Kahn, Meyer, McConico, Garfield, Gleason, Gonzales, Kathleen Law and Vagnozzi offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 169.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States not to cut the food stamp program.

            Whereas, The food stamp program provides food assistance to millions of our nation's most poor and vulnerable people.  This program is an essential source of nutritional support for millions of American families; and

            Whereas, The United States House of Representatives is considering proposed cuts to the food stamp program that would eliminate 220,000 to 250,000 low-income people by 2008, 70,000 of whom are legal immigrants.  Under this proposal, 50,000 legal immigrants would lose their food stamps in 2006. The cuts in this proposal are more extensive than those proposed by the Bush administration. More importantly, as reflected in the Senate and the Bush Administration budget proposals, programs savings in the Agriculture Department can be achieved without food stamp cuts; and

            Whereas, Congressional approval of these cuts would dramatically increase the growing hunger and nutrition problems that low-income families face in this country. We encourage members of Congress to oppose cutting this program that is so important to the lives of millions of Americans.  Such draconian cuts would cause tremendous harm; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States not to impose cuts to the federal food stamp program; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.