Cotton Votes to Fund the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program

Statement

Congressman Tom Cotton (R-Dardanelle) made the following statement today on the House floor in support of legislation that funds the Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program through the duration of the government shutdown:

"I want to thank the gentleman from Alabama. Yesterday, I introduced legislation that would ensure the Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program remains funded during a government shutdown. Today, I'm very grateful to my colleagues for their swift action to fund this important program.

"In Arkansas, WIC benefits 42,000 kids; 24,000 infants; and 2,000 moms. Fortunately, the Arkansas Department of Health reached an agreement earlier this week with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund the WIC program, though only on a week-to-week basis. Moms and kids shouldn't suffer because Senate Democrats have shutdown the government to protect their special perks and political allies.

"Because that's what has happened here, Madame Speaker. The House of Representatives, earlier this week, passed a Continuing Resolution that would fund the government--funding in part, Obamacare. And we asked that the Senate Democrats only accept two simple principles: that the White House and Congress follow the same Obamacare rules as the rest of America, and that if Barack Obama is going to give big businesses a one year break from Obamacare, then families and workers should get the same one year break. But Senate Democrats refused to fund the government with those simple terms. The terms that Congress should follow the laws they impose on the American people and that workers and families should get the same breaks as big businesses. Now, I know there are many important pieces of legislation in front of the Senate today. For instance, they earlier passed a resolution calling next week National Chess Week. Now that is obviously an urgent matter for this country. But, women and kids in need shouldn't be political pawns in the Senate's game. So I say to the Senate, let's put aside partisanship and pass this legislation for the kids.

"So, I say to the Senate, let's please put aside partisanship and pass this bill for the kids, just as we did earlier this week for our troops."

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