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Writings by Bob Filner

-2005-

October 20, 2005—Bob Filner, "Fighting Fast Food Chains Against Childhood Obesity and the Chunky 'Cheeseburger Bill,'" news release from Filner's congressional office: In 2001, the U.S. Surgeon General proclaimed childhood obesity a health issue rivaling cigarette smoking.  The Surgeon General further stated that the rate of overweight children in America doubled in the past 20 years and tripled among adolescents.  But, apparently, few here in Washington seemed to have taken notice or cared.  And predictably, rates have continued to rise across the country.  In California , childhood overweight rates have climbed to 28.1 per 1,000 students, up from 26.5 in 2001, according to the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.  In some parts of the state, the rate is as high as 40.  Locally, San Diego has a rate of 26.4. I, like most, believe that childhood obesity is best tackled at the local level through improved parental involvement, increased physical exercise, better diet and restraint.  However, as a parent, grand parent and former educator, I know that these practices alone are insufficient.  We will never truly control this rising epidemic without greater accountability from the food industry. Unfortunately, Congress is headed in the opposite direction, as evidenced by the recently passed "Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act."  The so-called "Cheeseburger Bill" does nothing to curb childhood obesity.  In fact, it does just the opposite granting Fortune 500 companies blanket immunity from obesity lawsuits.  The bill as passed in Congress removes any and all incentives for the food industry to improve their products for children.  By foreclosing this opportunity to hold the industry accountable, we have assured ourselves continued high rates of childhood obesity.  More importantly, we have allowed the greed of big corporations to come before the need of our children.  Leaving me to wonder whether we in Congress are here to represent the people or big business? I attempted unsuccessfully to amend this bill to prevent it from applying to children.  The intentions of my amendment were twofold: to protect young children (my amendment only applied to those under 8) and to force better accountability from the fast food industry.  Experts in the field unequivocally state that the fear of litigation and regulation has prompted the industry to rethink how it markets and sells food to our children. Fortunately, things appear a lot brighter at the state level.  California , like many other states, has refrained from following in the footsteps of the federal government and instead has focused on addressing and combating childhood obesity.  Recently, the governor, who I rarely see eye to eye with, wisely signed two bills into law that eliminate most fattening, sugary foods from public schools.  These laws will return California to the forefront of tough junk food restrictions.  Soon, public school vending machines that once dispensed super-sized candy bars, chips and sodas will start to offer yogurt, nuts and milk. These laws, which faced stiff resistance from the California Chamber of Commerce and big business, only came about because both Republicans and Democrats acknowledged our growing obesity problem and decided to work together and make the health of our children paramount.  This is the same type of approach that we need here in Washington .  

October 26, 2005—Bob Filner, "Statement before Congress on the Passing of Rosa Lee Parks - 'The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,' Congressional Record: Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I rise today to acknowledge the passing of a great American, the venerable Rosa Louise Parks. On a cold afternoon in December 1955, Rosa Parks could not have known she would soon become a national symbol and civil rights icon. But in standing her ground and demanding her fair and equal treatment on that bus in Montgomery , Alabama , Rosa Parks became the first lady of civil rights and the mother of the freedom movement. Her simple action and committed resolve that day empowered a people, ignited a movement and changed the course of American history. The events that followed Ms. Parks' protest that day—her arrest, the Montgomery bus boycott, and the eventual integration of the bus system—set the stage for Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Act. As a young college student, I was inspired by the stories of Ms. Parks' courageous action. I traveled to the south as a "freedom rider" in support of the emerging civil rights movement. Rosa Parks' courage, determination, and tenacity continue to be an inspiration to all those committed to non-violent protest and change nearly half a century later. She will be remembered as an everlasting symbol and advocate for justice and equality throughout America . Thank you Rosa , America will forever be indebted to you.

July 12, 2006—Bob Filner, "Democrats Are Fighting to Make College More Affordable," opinion piece: For the first time in U.S. history, a generation of American students is going deeply into debt to pay for college. College tuition and student loan debts continue to soar, and higher interest rates on college loans took effect on July 1st. These higher rates will only make the college affordability crisis worse. Nearly two-thirds of students attending four-year public colleges now take out college loans, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research. In 1990, just 46 percent of these students took out college loans. Meanwhile, the typical student now graduates from college with $17,500 in federal college debt - an all-time record. This debt is the unfortunate price that today's young people are being forced to pay in order to keep up with rapidly rising tuition costs. Tuition at four-year public colleges has increased by 40 percent, in inflation-adjusted terms, since 2001. Despite all of this, however, in February of this year the Republican-controlled Congress - over unanimous Democratic opposition - approved a budget-cutting bill that slashes $12 billion out of the federal student aid programs in order to help finance tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. This Republican Raid on Student Aid was the largest single cut to the federal student aid programs ever. Most of the savings generated from the cuts to the student aid programs were achieved by continuing the practice of forcing student and parent borrowers, in many cases, to pay excessive interest rates on their loans and by increasing college loan costs for parent borrowers. At a time when millions of American families are already struggling to pay the tuition bills - and when hundreds of thousands of qualified young people are being shut out of college because they can't afford it - there is no excuse for Congress' decision to put higher education even further out of reach. Democrats in the House and Senate want to cut college loan interest rates in half, to 3.4 percent for students and 4.25 for parents. Talking about interest rates can make anyone's eyes glaze over pretty quickly, but consider this: cutting rates in half would save $5,600 - $5,600! - for students with $17,500 in debt. For America to continue to be the land of opportunity, every qualified student has got to be able to afford a college degree. It is just wrong to deny that opportunity to young people who can't afford it. And this is not just about doing what's right; it's also about doing what's best for the country. Recent college graduates have incomes about 80 percent higher, on average, than recent high school graduates, according to the Economic Policy Institute. That means they do more to boost the economy and they pay more in taxes. In light of record federal budget deficits, improved college opportunities are an investment we simply can't afford not to make. The unfortunate truth is that Republican leaders are highly unlikely to act on behalf of American families trying to pay for college. They're still too busy working on tax cuts for people making over $1 million per year. But if there's a change of leadership in Washington, Democrats have promised a new direction for the country that would make college affordability a top priority. And given the college debt crisis, this new direction is urgently needed.