[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 99 (Friday, July 16, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1407]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONCERNING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD IN SCHOOLS TO 
            HUNGRY OR MALNOURISHED CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. JERRY MORAN

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 2004

  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. Con. 
Res. 114, a resolution that recognizes the importance of food 
distribution in schools and expresses gratitude to former Senators 
George McGovern of South Dakota and Robert Dole of Kansas for their 
efforts to eliminate hunger and poverty.
  The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education program began in 
2001 as an initiative called the Global Food for Education program. 
This program provided food to improve nutrition for mothers, infants, 
preschoolers and schoolchildren in developing countries.
  During the pilot program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture donated 
about 800,000 metric tons of commodities, providing school meals for 
nearly 7 million children in 38 countries.
  Because of the Global Food for Education program's success, this 
initiative was expanded, renamed the McGovern-Dole International Food 
for Education Program, and authorized by the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002. As a conferee on the Farm Bill, I am proud to 
have played a part in enacting the McGovern-Dole program.
  Through the McGovern-Dole program, the USDA is able to distribute 
foods such as wheat, flour, rice, corn and other basic items. Being 
from Kansas, I am glad that one of my State's main crops--wheat--goes 
to such a noble cause.
  This noble cause includes three main goals: to reduce hunger, to 
improve literacy and to improve primary education. Private, voluntary 
organizations, cooperatives, intergovernmental organizations and 
governments of developing countries all contribute to achieving these 
goals.
  McGovern-Dole was launched on March 10, 2003, on the 50th anniversary 
of the creation of the Foreign Agricultural Service. This timing is 
appropriate since McGovern-Dole combines two of the USDA's broad goals: 
to provide food in schools and to provide foreign food assistance.
  About 120 million school-aged children around the world are not 
enrolled in school, in part because of hunger or malnutrition. A 
disproportionate number of these children are girls. By supporting this 
resolution, we in Congress can help reaffirm the U.S. commitment to 
education and child development.
  Supporting this resolution demonstrates support for a better future 
for our global society. By providing food for schoolchildren in 
developing countries, we can help to reduce poverty and malnounshment. 
We can increase the number of children attending schools. By feeding 
and educating children around the world, we are able to open doors for 
these children and give them a real chance to someday achieve their 
dreams.
  I want to thank Senator Elizabeth Dole for introducing this 
resolution in the Senate and my colleague, Congressman James McGovern, 
for introducing it in the House. I thank these Members for recognizing 
the efforts of my fellow Kansan and predecessor, Bob Dole. I also thank 
the House International Relations Committee for their consideration of 
this resolution.