[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 82 (Thursday, June 5, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1158]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WE CAN END HUNGER IN AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2003

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, we live in the most prosperous nation in 
the history of the world.
  We have refrigeration systems to prevent food from spoiling.
  We have pasteurization to prevent bacteria from poisoning our food.
  And we have ways to fortify our foods with vitamins and nutrients to 
make the food we eat healthier.
  Yet, with all these advances, people still go hungry in America.
  The fact is, Mr. Speaker, hunger is a political problem. But I 
believe it's a problem we can solve.
  Thirty-seven years ago, Senator Bobby Kennedy traveled throughout 
America, and saw first-hand the hunger ravaging the most vulnerable in 
our Nation. As a result, we made a national commitment to do something 
about it.
  Congress, under the leadership of Senators George McGovern and Bob 
Dole, and with the support of President Nixon, created the school 
breakfast program, WIC, the elderly nutrition program, and the food 
stamp program.
  Since then, we have made great strides. But we have a lot of work 
left to do. Indeed, many Americans don't realize that hunger still 
exists in their communities.
  There are 33 million hungry people in the United States--11 million 
of them are children. In my district in Massachusetts, I talk to food 
bank directors who have noticed a sharp increase in the number of 
families who need help.
  The food bank that serves my home town, the Worcester County Food 
Bank, helped feed over 80,000 people in 2001. Of the 3.7 million pounds 
of food, almost 38 percent went to kids under the age of 18. The food 
bank, run by Jean McMurray, donates food to more than 260 local 
shelters, food pantries, senior centers, and after school programs.
  The Worcester County Food Bank is doing great work, and the people 
who work there do their best to provide for every single person who 
needs help. Unfortunately, it's not enough.
  That is why I am proud to stand with my colleague Congressman Frank 
Wolf in introducing a resolution to recognize June 5 as a National 
Hunger Awareness Day. This resolution encourages Americans to recognize 
the issue of hunger, and to work toward ending hunger--in their own 
home towns and across the nation.
  I'm also honored to join Congressman Wolf in sponsoring the 
Congressional Food Drive. I hope that we have wide participation in 
this drive from the Capitol Hill community. The Members and staff who 
work here are very blessed. It's important that we try to share those 
blessings with others. There are drop-off bins all across the Hill, and 
I hope people will fill them with non-perishable food items.
  But this is just a start. Clearly, more must be done.
  With that sentiment in mind, I call on President Bush to convene a 
White House summit on hunger. Too long has the scourge of hunger 
plagued the people of this nation. There is no reason why we should not 
focus our efforts on ending hunger in America, once and for all time.
  President Nixon convened such a summit, and the result was landmark 
legislation to feed the hungry people in America.
  A 21st Century Summit would bring fresh ideas to this problem, and 
help us to focus on the challenges that face the hungry in the 21st 
century.
  Simply, Mr. Speaker, it's the right thing to do, and I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this effort.
  We have the foot soldiers we need in this war against hunger. The 
people at America's Second Harvest and Bread for the World are already 
working around the country to fight hunger. The Food Research and 
Action Center and the Congressional Hunger Center are tireless 
advocates on behalf of the hungry. And the dedicated people who run the 
food banks in this country see first-hand the need for a reinvigorated 
effort to end hunger.
  Mr. Speaker, we live in the most prosperous nation in the history of 
the world. We have the resources to put an end to hunger once and for 
all. What we need--all we need--is the political will to do it.

                          ____________________