NATION IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Senate OKs Funds for Food Program

The Senate passed and sent to President Bush a $66-million emergency bill to keep 250,000 poor mothers, infants and children on the rolls of a federal food program. The Senate voice vote followed House approval of a bill to boost from 1% to 3% the amount states can borrow against next year’s allocation for the Women, Infants and Children program. The program provides food or vouchers. Unexpected high food prices led to budget shortages in about half the states, which threatened to force them to drop some poor persons from the program.