Page 6-Thursday, June 11, 1981-The Michigan Daily
SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTIONS MADE IN RECIPIENTS AND BENEFITS:
Senate approves food stamp cuts

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WASHINGTON (AP)-The Senate approved sub-
stantial cuts in the nation's food stamp program
yesterday, reducing both the number of recipients
and their benefits. It was passed on a 77-17 vote.
The proposal, drafted by the Senate Agriculture
Committee, includes many changes the Reagan ad-
ministration says will "target assistance to those who
need help in meeting nutritional needs" while still
making mandatory reductions in federal spending.
IN ACCEPTING the bill, which will pare some $1.8
billion from the food stamp budget next year, the
Senate did agree to exempt the elderly and handicap-
ped from tighter eligibility requirements that would
have knocled some 100,000 of them from the food
stamp rolls. Nearly 2 million senior citizens and han-
dicapped now receive food stamps.
As it stands, the bill would still mean some 900,000
fewer food stamp recipients next year and lower
benefits for" millions more. About 23 million
Americans, or 10 percent of the population, now
receive food stamps.
It also limits the cost of the program next year to

about $10.9 billion. Without the changes, the cost
would have soared from about $11.3 billion this year
to more than $12 billion next year.
THE KEY TO the cuts are the tighter eligibility
standards called for by Reagan. They will make
ineligible a family of four with an income over
$11,000. The present income ceiling is about $14,000;
in the case of the elderly or handicapped it would stay
there.
With Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and Sen. Patrick
Leahy of Vermont, the ranking Democrat on the
nutrition subcommittee, leading the way, the Senate
easily rejected three efforts to add more than $1
billion to the cuts the committee had already
outlined.
Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), Agriculture Committee
chairman, aided by other conservatives, pushed for
the extra cuts after losing on them in the committee.
But each was rejected by a 2-to-1 margin or better.
"WE HAVE CUT deeply enough into this
program," said Sen. David Pryor (D-Ark.). "If we
cut further, we're going to cut the heart and soul out

of the food stamp program."
The Food Research and Action Center, which has
been lobbying heavily to keep benefits, claimed "vic-
tory" that no more cuts were made but added that
"It's hard to feel good about a victory when you're
preserving $2 billion in cuts.
"The food stamp program is a perfect example of a
government program gone beserk," said Sen. James
McClure (R-Idaho), one of Helms' allies.
"INSTEAD OF limiting this program to people who
really need it we have gone to a system in which one
of every 10 people receives food stamps and one of
every seven is eligible," McClure said. "There are
millions of working Americans who are tired of
paying the bills for those who could but will not."
In addition to the tighter eligibility standards, the
Senate bill also postpones future benefit increases,
cuts deductions used in calculating benefits, prohibits
food stamps for striking workers and gives states the
option of putting able-bodied food stamps recipients
to work in public service jobs.

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$5 million approved
for prison funding

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LANSING (UPI) - The House Ap-
propriations Committee yesterday ap-
proved $5 million in emergency funding
to cover costs of last month's prison
riots and ordered officials to move full
speed ahead on plans for two new co-ed
facilities.
The committee sent the funding
measure to the full House on a 15-0 vote.
Action there is expected quickly.
RIOTING BROKE out at Southern
Michigan Prison at Jackson May 22.
The disturbance spread to the Michigan
Reformatory at Ionia that night. Four
days later, there was renewed rioting at
Jackson and an eruption at the
Marquette Branch Prison.
Qfficials placed a $9.2 million price
tag on the rioting, including damage to
facilities, overtime and other ad-
ministrative costs.
The committee chose to give the
Department of Corrections $5 million to
repair some damage and pay overtime
and other related costs. A second ap-
propriation will be made later
replacing demolished buildings.
MEANWHILE, two inmates said
yesterday the May 22 riot at the
Michigan Reformatory that left dozens
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injured and caused more than $2
million in damage was the result of
powderkeg tension within the prison.
Another inmate, 23-year-old Cliff
Washington of Port Huron, told the
Ionia Sentinel Standard yesterday the
riot was at least partially motivated by
racial tensions.
"The fight in the yard wasn't
staged," he said. "It was whites
fighting blacks and when the officer
broke it up, he roughed up a resident
and both whites and blacks jumped the
officer."
WASHINGTON, WHO is in the
reformatory on armed robbery and
carrying concealed weapons charges,
had no sympathy for guards who say
their working conditions are getting out
of hand.
"If they are scared, tell them to go
work at Wendy's," Washington said.
"The prison has been here for 100 years
and all of a sudden they fear for their

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:

Apartment burglarized
, An apartment on the 1000 block of
Church was broken into Tuesday bet-
ween 3 a.m. and 7a.m., police reported
yesterday. Stolen items include stereo
equipment, a bicycle, television,
cassette recorder, tennis racquet and
assorted books. Police said they believe
a key was used to gain entry.
At the 3.5th annual meeting of the
Future Homemakers of America it was
reported that there are now 23,871 men
in the organization.
HOME-0FFCE (Doctor's)
FOR SALE
By owner, in Mason, 12 mi.
south of Lansing. Growing
area, good schools, com-
mercial zoning. $72,000. (517)

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ENDS TONIGHT
Boxoffice Opens 8:00 p.m.
SHOW STARTS AT DUSK!
IPARALLELED -AND- R
TERROR" E WAIflAotl
-Rex Reed

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