[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 63 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H2059-H2062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE GEORGE McGOVERN-ROBERT DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND 
                      CHILD NUTRITION ACT OF 2001

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, last Thursday was a remarkable day. That 
morning, the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson) and I joined a 
broad, bipartisan coalition of Members from the House and the Senate in 
introducing landmark legislation to end hunger among the world's 
children in our lifetimes.
  In a time when rancor and bitterness often characterize business in 
the Congress, we have come together around a vision for the future, a 
future where every child receives at least one nutritious meal a day 
and that meal is served in a school setting.
  I want to commend my colleagues who join the gentlewoman from 
Missouri (Mrs. Emerson) and me in introducing H.R. 1700: the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Hall), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Johnson), the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. 
Leach), the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton), the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo), the gentleman from Washington 
(Mr. Nethercutt), the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Thune), the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Boswell), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. 
Green), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Barrett), and the gentlewoman 
from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin).
  Our bill is called the George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food 
for Education and Child Nutrition Act of 2001. It is named after two 
great men who, in their time together in the Senate, spear-headed 
bipartisan legislation to create our own school lunch, school breakfast 
and WIC programs here in the United States. Now they have called upon 
this Congress and this administration to duplicate those actions 
worldwide.
  Our bill will provide long-term, reliable funding to purchase U.S. 
commodities in order to provide millions of hungry children around the 
world with a school breakfast or a school lunch or both.
  Madam Speaker, over 300 million of the world's children are hungry. 
About 130 million of these children do not go to school, and about 60 
percent of those are girls.
  Isolated programs around the world have demonstrated that more 
families send their children to school, including the girls, when a 
meal is provided. In fact, in many cases, enrollment doubles within 1 
or 2 years. The children become more alert and capable of learning with 
a meal in their bellies; and test scores improve, attendance increases, 
more children graduate, and dropout rates decline.
  For just 10 cents a day for each meal, we can feed a hungry child and 
help that child learn. With what we pay for a Big Mac, fries, and a 
soft drink, we could afford to feed two classrooms of kids in Ghana or 
Nepal. Hands down, education is the best way to improve people's lives. 
Education reduces disease rates, increases economic activity, reduces 
the birth rate, and strengthens communities; and the best way to get a 
child into school is to have a nutritious meal waiting for them.
  These children will grow up to be the teachers, the more productive 
farmers, the bankers, the small business owners, and the leaders of 
their countries. They will also grow up to be the new consumers of 
American goods and services. In the meantime, our farmers, food 
processors, transportation industry, ports and maritime shipping 
benefit from the purchases and shipment of this food aid.
  This program will succeed because its scale is large, its vision is 
long-term, and its approach is multilateral. It will succeed because 
this will not just be America going it alone. We call on every country 
that can step up to the plate to do just that. It will succeed because 
we will not take money away from existing food and development 
programs. We need those programs to address our other long-term 
development priorities.
  So much is already in place to move ahead with this initiative. We 
already have successful partnerships with U.S. private and voluntary 
organizations to carry out the programs on the ground. We already have 
relationships with international food and education agencies such as 
the World Food Program and UNICEF to help us coordinate with other 
countries; and we already have a successful history with our farmers in 
providing food aid.
  Quite frankly, we have the resources to eliminate hunger among the 
world's children and get them into school. We do not need to raise 
taxes; we do not need to cut any domestic programs. We just need to get 
to work. The only thing that could stand in our way is the lack of 
political will.

                              {time}  1500

  By introducing H.R. 1700, we have shown the world that in this 
Congress of the United States that the political will could be 
mustered.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join the gentlewoman from 
Missouri (Mrs. Emerson) and me in support of this bill. We can help end 
hunger in our lifetime.
  Mr. Speaker, I include the following for the Record:

The McGovern-Emerson Bill Builds Upon and Enhances the Global Food for 
                   Education Initiative Pilot Program

       On December 28, 2000, President Clinton formally announced 
     the launching of a $300 million pilot program authorizing 
     630,000 metric tons in commodity purchases to provide hungry 
     children in developing countries at least one nutritious meal 
     each day in a school setting. Inspired by a proposal put 
     forward by Ambassador George McGovern and Senator Bob Dole, 
     the Global Food for Education Initiative pilot program, 
     administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will 
     reach approximately 9 million children through 49 projects in 
     38 countries.
       Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-
     MO) are introducing legislation--the George McGovern-Robert 
     Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Act 
     of 2001--that builds upon and enhances the program initiated 
     by the pilot program.
       Makes the Global Food for Education Initiative a 
     permanently-established program with funding consistent with 
     the proposal put forward by Ambassador McGovern and Senator 
     Dole: $300 million beginning in fiscal year 2002 and 
     increasing to $750 million fiscal year 2004.

[[Page H2060]]

       Adds a Global WIC program, as originally envisioned by 
     Ambassador McGovern and Senator Dole, beginning with $50 
     million in fiscal year 2002 and increasing to $250 million by 
     fiscal year 2004.
       Ensures that any commodity that would enhance the 
     effectiveness of school feeding programs may be designated by 
     the Secretary of Agriculture as eligible for purchase (e.g. 
     lentils, beans, etc.)
       Provides for transportation of commodities to storage and 
     distribution sites.
       Provides for purchase of commodities in non-surplus years.
       Allows the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) at the U.S. 
     Department of Agriculture to provide technical assistance and 
     advice to recipient countries and to other USDA departments 
     on how to establish and carry out effective school feeding 
     programs.
       Allows for financial assistance to be made available to 
     agencies and organizations for itemized administrative costs 
     and to undertake activities that enhance the effectiveness of 
     these programs (e.g., training of cooks, establishing and 
     equipping school kitchens, holding community workshops to 
     inform families that a school feeding program has begun and 
     the benefits of such a program, etc.).
       Allows for the monetization of commodities to ensure the 
     effectiveness, longevity and self-sustainability of these 
     programs (e.g. purchase of local foods to round out 
     nutritional balance of meals, helping communities establish a 
     pre-school or school feeding program, expanding facilities as 
     successful programs attract and maintain more children as 
     students, etc.)
       Provides for interagency coordination and reimbursement to 
     relevant federal agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for 
     International Development, for activities related to 
     implementing the program (e.g. technical assistance, 
     monitoring in the filed, evaluation, auditing, etc.). This is 
     especially important in countries where USAID has mission 
     staff but USDA does not.
       Calls upon the President to ensure multilateral involvement 
     in this global effort, as well as engaging private sector and 
     foundation support, and to report annually to Congress on 
     progress in these efforts.
                                  ____


  Support for the George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for 
               Education and Child Nutrition Act of 2001

     Academy for Educational Development
     ACDI/VOCA
     Adventise Development & Relief Agency International
     American Farm Bureau Federation
     American Soybean Association
     American School Food Service Association
     Archer Daniels Midland/ADM Milling Co.
     Bartlett Milling Company
     Bread for the World
     Breedlove Dehydrated Foods
     Bunge Lauhoff/Milling Division
     Cargill Foods/Flour Milling
     Catholic Relief Services
     Cereal Food Processors, Inc.
     Coalition for Food Aid
     ConAgra Grain Processing Company
     Counterpart International
     Didion Milling, Inc.
     Friends of the World Food Program
     International Partnership for Human Development
     International Orthodox Christian Charities
     Land O' Lakes, Inc.
     Mercy USA
     National Association of Wheat Growers
     National Corn Growers Association
     National Farmers Union
     National Pork Producers Council
     North American Millers' Association
     Opportunities Industrialization Centers International.
     Project Concern International
     Save the Children
     USA Rice Federation
     U.S. Rice Producers Association
     World Food Program
     World Share
                                  ____


          ASFSA Supports Global Meals for Education Initiative

       Alexandria, VA (May 3, 2001)--The American School Food 
     Service Association (ASFSA) is excited and proud to lend its 
     support to the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education 
     and Child Nutrition Act of 2001 that is being introduced 
     today. It is our hope that Congress will quickly approve this 
     legislation so that this program can continue helping needy 
     children throughout the world.
       ``The global meals initiative is bringing the success and 
     know-how of this country's school breakfast and lunch 
     programs to poor school children around the world,'' said 
     ASFSA President Marilyn Hurt, SFNS. ``Further, providing 
     school meals in poor countries gives children extra incentive 
     to attend school and get the education they need.''
       An estimated 300 million children worldwide, most of them 
     female, either do not attend school or do not receive a meal 
     at school. Of that total, approximately 170 million children 
     do attend school but are not fed at school. The United 
     Nations' World Food Programme (WFP), which has been 
     addressing these problems for years, uses food to entice 
     children to school, which in turn helps improve literacy, 
     break the cycle of poverty, and reduce pregnancies among 
     school-age girls. Last year, WFP fed more than 12 million 
     school children in 54 countries.
       Former U.S. Senators George McGovern and Robert Dole have 
     played a leading role in advocating for an international; 
     school lunch program to spread the benefits enjoyed by 
     American children worldwide. Last December, the White House 
     authorized $300 million to help fund school feeding projects 
     in poor nations. Of that amount, $140 million will go to WFP 
     to expand existing efforts and develop new school meal 
     programs in 23 countries.
       ``By itself, feeding poor and hungry children would seem 
     like a moral imperative to many,'' Hurt said. ``But when you 
     learn of the strong linkage between nutrition, learning and 
     the positive impact of school attendance on early pregnancy 
     and child mortality rates, it becomes even more clear that 
     this initiative is worthwhile in countless ways.''
       ASFSA is a national, non-profit professional organization 
     representing more than 58,000 members who provide high-
     quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. 
     Founded in 1946, ASFSA is the only association devoted 
     exclusively to protecting and enhancing children's health and 
     well-being through school meals and sound nutrition 
     education.
                                  ____


        USA Rice Supports International Food for Education Bill


 funding for needy overseas children also a critical food aid program 
                             for u.s. rice

       Why Is the George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food 
     for Education and Child Nutrition Act of 2001 important to 
     the rice industry when there are other food aid programs?
       The International Food for Education bill is designed to 
     target commodities and resources directly to the 
     beneficiaries, needy children. At the same time, this unique 
     program provides a new outlet for U.S. rice movement, a 
     commodity particularly suited for school feeding. Rice is 
     ready to eat with minimal preparation, and is easy to 
     transport and store. It provides a complete protein when 
     combined with pulses such as peas.
       Getting U.S. rice to needy children should not be dependent 
     on the unpredictability of surplus designation. The 
     International Food for Education bill secures permanent 
     funding under Section 416(b) authority, as well as the 
     inclusion of non-surplus commodities. This allows the rice 
     industry to work closely with USDA and private voluntary 
     organizations to find consistent, ongoing uses for rice in 
     feeding and monetization projects, which helps to stabilize 
     market conditions in the United States.
       Overall, food aid funding has declined significantly over 
     the last 10 years. The International Food for Education bill 
     will assist the U.S. rice industry in maintaining rice food 
     aid tonnage supply to meet overseas demand, and will generate 
     important economic activity in local communities here in the 
     United States.
       Why are food aid programs like International Food for 
     Education so important to the U.S. rice industry?
       The movement of food aid tonnage is important to the rice 
     industry because we produce more rice than can be consumed on 
     the domestic market. 40-60 percent of the U.S. rice crop is 
     exported, and up to 20 percent of this is in the form of food 
     aid. Food Aid means export opportunity for the U.S. rice 
     market as it faces increased production costs, extremely low 
     prices, competition from low-price foreign competitors, and 
     export demand restricted by trade barriers and unilateral 
     sanctions.
       Last year the movement of rice food aid (9 million 
     hundredweight) accounted for 1,200 jobs, and created an 
     influx of millions of dollars to local economies in terms of 
     labor hours, utilization of equipment and services, and 
     investment in the rice industry infrastructure.
       Food aid serves as a long-term market development tool for 
     the U.S. rice industry as well as a humanitarian effort. USA 
     Rice continually seeks new outlets for U.S. rice. Food aid 
     movement allows U.S. rice to enter developing countries that 
     cannot currently afford to buy high-quality U.S. product. 
     Introducing U.S. rice to consumers and traders in recipient 
     countries allows commercial trade to develop when economic 
     conditions improve.
                                  ____



                                           Land O'Lakes, Inc.,

                                     Arden Hills, MN, May 3, 2001.
     Hon. James P. McGovern,
     House of Representatives, Cannon House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
     Hon. Jo Ann Emerson,
     House of Representatives, Cannon House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Representatives McGovern and Emerson: Land O'Lakes 
     commends you for taking the lead in introducing, ``The George 
     McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for Education and 
     Child Nutrition Act of 2000''. This legislation will codify 
     as an enduring program the feeding of many hungry school 
     children in developing countries. At the same time this 
     activity assists U.S. farmers through the removal of excess 
     stocks. Utilizing U.S. commodities in this program allows our 
     farmers to operate in a market environment that is more 
     balanced rather than the current situation that is 
     characterized by burdensome levels of carryover stocks.
       International child feeding programs provide increased 
     nutrition resulting in increased attendance at school. As a 
     result, more children participate in the educational system 
     and prepare themselves to be skilled participants in today's 
     global economy. Furthermore, feeding children at school also

[[Page H2061]]

     provides them the nourishment to improve their cognitive 
     ability so that they also will retain the knowledge imparted 
     during the time that they spend in the classroom. The long-
     term results will be: (a) to enable educated people to rise 
     out of poverty, (b) to increase the education and earning 
     capacity for girls providing the means to reduce the 
     incidence of exploitation of women; and, (c) to improve the 
     quality of life for millions of people in developing 
     countries around the world.
       The specific elements of this legislation that Land O'Lakes 
     is particularly supportive of include: 1. Making the recently 
     announced Global Food for Education Initiative pilot program 
     a permanently funded program. 2. Encouraging private sector 
     involvement in the delivery of programs under this authority. 
     3. Directing the Commodity Credit Corporation to devote $600 
     million in Fiscal Year 2002 and $750 million in succeeding 
     fiscal years to establish preschool and school feeding 
     programs and $100 million in fiscal Year 2002 and $250 
     million in succeeding fiscal years for maternal and infant 
     health and feeding programs.
       Land O'Lakes is currently participating in school feeding 
     programs through the 416(b) allocations in Indonesia. Working 
     in partnership with the Tetra Pak Company, we provide 450,000 
     children in 3,000 primary schools with a long-shelf life milk 
     drink and fortified biscuit three times a week.
       Already we have achieved remarkable results. The Ministry 
     of Education is reporting marked increases in school 
     attendance rates, especially by girls. There is also evidence 
     of significant improvement in the health and stamina of 
     children receiving the nutritious products they consume at 
     school For too many of the recipient children, those servings 
     are their predominant source of vitamins and protein.
       Land O'Lakes was also gratified that it was selected to 
     implement similar programs in Bangladesh and Vietnam as part 
     of the Global School for Education Initiative pilot program 
     announced in December 2000. Land O'Lakes will work with Tetra 
     Pak to provide over 1.5 million school children with the same 
     combination of a milk beverage and snack three days per week. 
     These programs require considerable collaboration with the 
     local processing industry, the Ministry of Education, and 
     strong local NGO's to monitor the distribution of product and 
     consumption by students.
       Our private sector team's approach to deliver low cost, 
     industry-enhancing, sustainable school feeding programs 
     combines Tetra Pak's 40 year international school feeding 
     expertise with Land O'Lakes 20-year history of international 
     economic development programs. We believe that this unique 
     approach will create immediate nutritional benefits for 
     innumerable children. Moreover, this program increases 
     capacity in developing countries by assisting the local dairy 
     and food industry to become more sustainable through 
     commercial partnerships.
       It is important to note that this program performs a long-
     term market development function for US commodities. Students 
     are being introduced to dairy products during their formative 
     years, which is the most effective time to develop tastes and 
     preferences and create millions of future consumers. 
     Furthermore, important linkages are established among private 
     sector firms that may form the foundation for future commerce 
     and investment that will benefit US cooperatives and 
     agribusinesses as the move toward increased globalization 
     presses forward.
       The George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for 
     Education and Child Nutrition Act of 2001 will provide 
     valuable nutritional and educational assistance to countless 
     children around the world while supporting American 
     agriculture. Land O'Lakes supports the enactment of 
     legislation to create a permanent global school feeding 
     program and is ready to assist in this endeavor.
       I offer our support in moving the bill towards enactment, 
     and I look forward to working with you in this regard. 
     Members of the Land O'Lakes International Division staff, 
     including myself, are available to meet with you to discuss 
     the necessary steps for moving this bill forward. In 
     addition, Land O'Lakes will gladly testify in support of the 
     legislation in hearings held by any of the committees with 
     jurisdiction over this matter.
       Thank you for your leadership in making the international 
     school feeding program a permanent means of improving the 
     lives of needy children around the world. Please let me know 
     when and how we can help to secure passage of this 
     legislation.
           Sincerely,

                                           Thomas A. Verdoorn,

                                     Vice President, International
     and Dairy Proteins.
                                  ____


    Remarks of Kenneth Hackett, Executive Director, Catholic Relief 
                                Services

       It is a pleasure to be here today with these distinguished 
     guests and with the Senators and Members of Congress. You 
     have taken the bold, first steps to turn concept into 
     legislation in a hope that millions of young lives can be 
     improved. Today, I am speaking on behalf of 13 private 
     voluntary organizations (PVOs) that are members of the 
     Coalition for Food Aid. As US charitable organizations and 
     cooperatives, we draw our support from tens of millions of 
     Americans.
       We are very pleased that the issues of child nutrition and 
     education are the focus of this tremendous level of 
     bipartisan support in Congress.
       Starting over half a century ago, in a true public-private 
     partnership, the US has provided over 60 million metric tons 
     of food aid through PVOs to meet disaster and human 
     development needs. PVOs have implemented pre-school, primary-
     school and mother-child health programs in poor communities 
     throughout the world. PVO participation has been critical to 
     changing lives, assuring program accountability, and 
     demonstrating the effectiveness of American food aid. We will 
     build on that experience in managing and implementing this 
     wonderful program.
       But, achieving educational and nutritional goals among the 
     world's poorest communities takes more than just handing out 
     food. Both bills recognize this by providing funds directly, 
     and through commodity sales, to support not only the 
     distribution of food but also the necessary educational and 
     health activities. These activities include providing books, 
     teacher training, micronutrient supplements, and take home 
     food rations--particularly to encourage girls attendance in 
     school.
       We see two critical issues that need watchful attention as 
     these bills progress through the legislative process: 1. PVOs 
     must continue to have direct partnerships, as we do in the 
     other food programs, with our Government in the 
     implementation of this legislation. This should include 
     substantial involvement in the decision-making processes 
     relative to implementation. 2. The Food for Education and 
     Child Nutrition program should be an addition to other, well-
     established and successful food aid programs, including PL 
     480 Title II and Food for Progress.
       Thank you for this opportunity to comment on the Food for 
     Education and Child Nutrition bills.
                                  ____


                [From the Washington Post, May 1, 2001]

                  (By George McGovern and Robert Dole)

                          One Lunch at a Time

       In the summer of 1968, CBS television broadcast a powerful 
     hour-long documentary titled ``Hunger: USA.'' The cameras 
     peered into the dismal pockets of hunger and misery populated 
     by poor American families. Hollow cheeks and rickety legs 
     plagued children and adults alike.
       The most moving scene was filmed in a school where all 
     students--even those who were too poor to pay for a meal--
     were required to go to the cafeteria at lunchtime. One 9- or 
     10-year-old boy was asked how he felt standing at the rear of 
     the room watching his better-off classmates eat. Lowering his 
     head, the boy confessed softly, ``I'm ashamed.''
       Thirty years later, a child going hungry in an American 
     school is practically unheard of. That's because of the 
     overwhelming success of bipartisan legislation we sponsored 
     in the 1970s, while we were both U.S. senators, which ensures 
     a nutritious meal at school for all children, including 
     America's poorest. While hunger has not yet been eradicated 
     in the United States, the lives of a whole generation of 
     American schoolchildren have been improved thanks to that 
     program.
       Now we have the opportunity to reach an even higher goal: 
     to implement a similar plan for the 300 million poor children 
     in the world who either receive no meal at school or do not 
     even attend class.
       Once again we have jointly made a proposal, this time to 
     establish a global school feeding program. It is currently 
     being discussed among Washington policymakers and will soon 
     be introduced in Congress. Building on a pilot program 
     initiated this year, the bill commits an annual amount of 
     American agricultural surpluses to provide nutritious meals 
     to already enrolled students and to attract poorer children 
     to school.
       Studies show that when food is provided at schools in the 
     developing world, attendance often doubles within a year, and 
     within two years, academic performance can improve by as much 
     as 40 percent. Students remain in school longer, and more of 
     them graduate. Long-term studies indicate that increased 
     literacy rates among girls and women mean they have fewer 
     children. Of the estimated 130 million children who currently 
     do not attend school, 60 percent are girls.
       We are not talking about ordinary charity. Feeding children 
     at school yields tangible results in their lives as well as 
     long-term benefits for society as a whole. And in contrast to 
     questionable mega-projects for development school feeding 
     focuses on the individual child. Reducing children's hunger 
     and improving their educational opportunities creates the 
     human infrastructure needed by nations if they are to prosper 
     and become self-reliant.
       This global challenge can once again be met in the spirit 
     of bipartisanship. By committing annual funds for a global 
     school lunch program, we will not only dramatically improve 
     the lives and futures of millions of poor children. We will 
     also be helping out American farmers by increasing purchases 
     of surplus food commodities.
       To use these surpluses, especially in periods when prices 
     are down, strengthens our farmers' markets and takes some of 
     the burden off storage capacities or selling surpluses off at 
     rock-bottom prices. Overseas shipments of U.S. agricultural 
     products also generate business for American processors, 
     packers, shippers, railroads, stevedores and ocean carriers.
       Start-up costs to cover the first two years of a global 
     program would be about $3 billion. As the leader of the 
     effort, the U.S. government should commit half of that 
     amount,

[[Page H2062]]

     the bulk of it in purchased surplus commodities.
       As the program grows and more students enroll in 
     participating schools, costs will increase, but it is hoped 
     and expected that other countries will join in to help. 
     Discussions with other governments have already begun. Rich 
     nations that do not have farm surpluses could contribute 
     cash, shipping, personnel, utensils and other educational 
     inputs. Government costs could be further reduced or 
     supplemented with contributions from private foundations, 
     corporations, labor unions and individuals.
       In order for the program to be sustainable, the benefiting 
     governments should be expected to take over financing within 
     five to 10 years. In the meantime, the initiative would be 
     under the instructional and monitoring eyes of the World Food 
     Program, which has nearly 40 years of school feeding 
     experience. Working with other charities and aid groups, WFP 
     can ensure that the other necessary aspects such as teacher 
     training, sanitation and health inputs are coordinated.
       In an era of cynicism and weariness about third World 
     problems, using food surpluses to feed and help educate poor 
     children may seem like a surprisingly simple way to make an 
     impact. But a hot meal to a poor student today is key to 
     helping him or her become a literate, self-reliant adult 
     tomorrow. This could become the first generation in human 
     history that is finally free from the scourge of hunger.

                          ____________________