SR0272

LRB096 12869 GRL 26661 r






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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, According to statistics from the Center for 
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Disease Control and Prevention, two-thirds of American adults 
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are overweight or obese; the rates of obesity have doubled in 
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children and tripled in teens since 1980; 24.9% of Illinoisans 
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are considered obese; and

 
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    WHEREAS,    Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, heart 
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disease, stroke, and other health problems; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Over the past two decades, there has been a 
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significant increase in the number of meals prepared and eaten 
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outside the home and eaten at restaurants and other 
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food-service establishments; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Food Stamp Program was designed to help end 
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hunger and improve nutrition and health; the program helps 
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low-income households buy the food they need for a 
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nutritionally adequate diet; the program is managed by the Food 
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and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of 
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Agriculture; the Department of Human Services administers the 
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program in Illinois; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The federal government mandates which foods may be 
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purchased under the program; the federal government specifies 
 


 






SR0272
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LRB096 12869 GRL 26661 r




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that food stamp benefits can be used to buy any food or food 
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product for human consumption, plus seeds and plants for use in 
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home gardens to produce food; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United 
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States Congress to start a waiver program to prohibit the use 
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of food stamps to purchase foods of minimal nutritional value 
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as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and 
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Nutrition Service; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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presented to the members of the Illinois congressional 
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delegation.