OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017

Floor Speech

Date: June 16, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Military Personnel Food Processing and Sales

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Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise to ensure that our men and women in uniform have options on the menu when they seek nutrition in the cafeteria as they serve. Ideologically motivated activists are working to take meat off the menu in institutions across the country. There is plenty of evidence of this, and I hope that we can limit these efforts to ensure that our men and women in uniform have the choices of nutrition at their ready.

Meat contains vitamins and nutrients not readily available in a plant-based diet. In fact, creatine, which supplies energy to muscle cells and aids in their recovery, is only found in animal products.

My amendment does not inhibit the ability of individual servicemembers to pursue a vegetarian diet if they choose to nor does it prohibit the armed services from meeting the dietary needs of those who choose a vegetarian or vegan diet. All this amendment does is to ensure there is also a meat option available.

I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen).

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Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. I thank the chairman.

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Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Will the gentleman yield?

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Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Chairman, I would add that my amendment actually reduces the regulation and ensures that our men and women in uniform have adequate choices at the table, at the cafeteria, wherever they might choose to eat. This does not prohibit anything. This just ensures that options are available.

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Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).

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Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Chairman, I would just add that the U.S. Coast Guard, although not contained in this bill, has already engaged in an agenda to remove meat from some of the menus on certain days of the week within that branch.

I want to ensure that our men and women in uniform who serve in harm's way will have the options that they choose. And I would imagine that, given the health impact of a healthy source of protein being meat, we should afford our men and women in uniform that option.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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