meanwhile, the conference has s cided to reopen the loophole that the house of representatives on a bipartisan way closed. and those loopholes, as they reopen them, will make sure that millionaires and billionaires are getting crop subsidies. one has to ask the question, who are we working for here? in effect, this is reverse robin hood legislation. it steals food from the poor to help pay crop subsidies to the rich. and when i see members supporting the immoral cuts in this legislation, mr. speaker, i have to wonder if some people in this institution have really lost their perspective and understand why we are here and what our moral responsibility is. across this country, this great country, nearly 50 million americans, including over 16 million children, are struggling with hunger right now. think for a moment about what that means. in 1974 a writer in "time" magazine explained it this way and i quote, the victim of starvation burns up his own body fat, muscles and tissues for fuel. his body quite literally consumes itself and deteriorates rapidly. the kidneys, liver and -- often seize to f