House Passes FY 2010 Agriculture And Food And Drug Administration Appropriations Conference Report

Press Release

Today, Congressman Sires joined his colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 2997, the fiscal year 2010 Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Conference Report by a vote of 263 to 162. The conference report provides funding for the Department of Agriculture and focuses on several key areas, such as protecting public health, bolstering food nutrition programs, aiding low income households, and conserving our natural resources.

"New Jersey will have access to new funding in this bill through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which was expanded to include New Jersey," said Congressman Sires. "The $180 million included in the bill is critical to providing nutritious food to low-income women, infants, children and elderly during this period of economic stress and will help bring relief to families struggling with rising food costs."
Funding for H.R. 2997 includes more than $7.25 billion in needed funding for the WIC program, which helps mothers and their children eat nutritious meals. The bill also features $162 million for program improvements including fruit and vegetable vouchers and expanding nutrition education programs for mothers. To ensure the safety of the food Americans put on their table, the bill also invests in food inspections of the U.S. meat and poultry supply and enhances FDA oversight of the safety of domestic and imported food and medical products.

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