>>> NOW BACK TO POLITICS FOR A 
MOMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT BIG FISCAL 
DEBATE REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE 
OF REPRESENTATIVES TODAY 
CONTINUED TO PUSH, $40 BILLION 
IN CUTS OVER TEN YEARS TO THE 
FEDERAL FOOD STAMPS PROGRAM.
REPUBLICANS ARGUE THAT THE PRICE
OF THE PROGRAM WHICH COSTS $78 
BILLION LAST YEAR HAS BALLOONED 
AND THAT CUTTING FOOD STAMPS 
WILL ENCOURAGE POOR AMERICANS TO
BECOME MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT.
EARLIER TODAY, DEMOCRATIC 
CONGRESSWOMAN JACKIE SPEIER OF 
CALIFORNIA LAMBASTED THOSE 
COLLEAGUES WHO WANT TO CUT AID 
FOR THE POOR WHILE THEY 
THEMSELVES RACK UP PRICEY MEALS 
DURING TRAVEL TO FOREIGN 
COUNTRIES, MEALS THAT THEY BILL 
TO YOU AND ME.
>> ONE MEMBER WAS GIVEN A 
$127.41 A DAY FOR FOOD ON HIS 
TRIP TO ARGENTINA.
HE PROBABLY HAD A FAIR AMOUNT OF
STEAK.
ANOTHER MEMBER WAS GIVEN $3,588 
FOR FOOD AND LODGING DURING A 
SIX-DAY TRIP TO RUSSIA.
HE PROBABLY DRANK A FAIR AMOUNT 
OF VODKA AND PROBABLY EVEN HAD 
SOME CAVIAR.
THAT PARTICULAR MEMBER HAS 
21,000 FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS IN 
HIS DISTRICT.
ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO IS ON 
FOOD STAMPS COULD LIVE A YEAR ON
WHAT THIS CONGRESSMAN SPENT ON 
FOOD AND LODGING FOR SIX DAYS.
>> CONGRESSIONAL DECORUM 
PREVENTED SPEIER FROM NAMING 
NAMES BUT WE ARE RESTRAINED BY 
NO SUCH PROTOCOL.
WE RESEARCHED THE PUBLIC RECORDS
AND DISCOVERED GOP CONGRESSMAN 
STEVE KING OF IOWA AND FRANK
