[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3773-H3775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING WILL KEITH KELLOGG
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1172) recognizing the life and achievements of Will
Keith Kellogg.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1172
Whereas Will Keith (W.K.) Kellogg, through his
experimentation and entrepreneurship, revolutionized eating
habits around the world; promoted healthy living for families
and communities; patriotically assisted the United States
during World War II; created the Kellogg Company, which has
produced a wide variety of popular foods for more than 100
years and has developed memorable cultural icons; and formed
the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which promotes a vision of
healthy living around the world;
Whereas Will Keith (W.K.) Kellogg was born on April 7,
1860, and died at the age of 91 on October 6, 1951;
Whereas, April 7, 2010, will mark the celebration of the
150th anniversary of W.K. Kellogg's birth;
Whereas W.K. Kellogg and his brother Dr. John Harvey
Kellogg developed the first breakfast cereal, Kellogg's Corn
Flakes, in Battle Creek, Michigan, on April 1, 1906;
Whereas W.K. Kellogg strongly promoted healthy eating and
fitness throughout his career;
Whereas the Kellogg Company has produced many nutritious
foods for 104 years;
Whereas consumer awareness of nutrition has long been a
major priority of the Kellogg Company;
Whereas innovative packing and nutrition labels developed
by the Kellogg Company have gone on to become standard
practice in the food industry;
Whereas breakfast cereals have revolutionized eating habits
in the United States and around the world;
Whereas the Kellogg Company has created memorable
characters that have become cultural icons, including ``Tony
the Tiger'' and ``Snap, Crackle, and Pop'';
Whereas during the Great Depression, W.K. Kellogg
pronounced his faith in the United States by announcing
``I'll invest my money in people'';
Whereas the production facilities of the Kellogg Company
played a key role in assisting the engineering efforts of the
United States Armed Forces during World War II;
Whereas families in the United States often sent food
products from the Kellogg Company to soldiers serving in
foreign countries;
Whereas for his contributions to the United States during
World War II, W.K. Kellogg was awarded the Army-Navy ``E''
Flag for Excellence;
Whereas the Apollo 11 astronauts brought Kellogg's
breakfast cereal into outer space in 1969, during their
successful mission to the moon;
Whereas the Kellogg Company has maintained its social
responsibility by supporting a number of different
organizations, such as the United Negro College Fund, the
Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island renewal project, and
organizations that fought apartheid in South Africa;
Whereas the Kellogg Company has been working to combat
obesity and is joining together with more than 40 of the
Nation's largest retailers, nonprofit organizations,
manufacturers, and trade associations to launch the Healthy
Weight Commitment Foundation to promote healthy living in
homes, schools, and workplaces;
Whereas the Kellogg Foundation was begun by W.K. Kellogg to
bolster the health of children in Battle Creek, Michigan;
Whereas the W.K. Kellogg Foundation today promotes health,
education, agriculture, and family economic security
throughout the world;
Whereas the Kellogg Company manufactures its products in 18
countries and sells them to people in 180 different
countries;
Whereas the Kellogg Company currently has production
facilities in 14 States, including: California, Georgia,
Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey,
North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and
Washington; and
Whereas W.K. Kellogg created a legacy of healthy living,
patriotism, and entrepreneurism that endures to this day:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the
150th anniversary of the birth of Will Keith Kellogg and his
contributions to the citizens of the United States and the
people of the world.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr.
Luetkemeyer) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
General Leave
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and add any extraneous materials.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
On behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I
present House Resolution 1172 for consideration. This legislation
recognizes the life and achievements of a renowned American
industrialist and philanthropist, Mr. Will Keith Kellogg.
Introduced by my colleague and friend, Representative Mark Schauer of
Michigan, on March 11, 2010, House Resolution 1172 was favorably
reported out of the Oversight Committee on May 20, 2010, by unanimous
consent. And, additionally, this legislation enjoys the support of over
50 Members of Congress.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, I present House Resolution 1172 for consideration. This
legislation recognizes the life and achievements of a renowned American
industrialist and philanthropist, Mr. Will Keith Kellogg.
Introduced by my colleague, Representative Mark Schauer of Michigan,
on March 11th, 2010, House Resolution 1172 was favorably reported out
of the Oversight Committee on May 20th, 2010 by unanimous consent.
Additionally, this legislation enjoys the support of over fifty members
of Congress.
A longtime resident of the city of Battle Creek, Michigan, W.K.
Kellogg, the founder of the famed Kellogg Company, was born on April
7th, 1860. While Mr. Kellogg lacked a formal education beyond the 6th
grade, he was always an aspiring businessman and at the age of 14,
began his business career selling brooms for a living.
At the age of 20, Mr. Kellogg moved to Battle Creek to work at the
Battle Creek Sanitarium, where his brother, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg,
served as physician-in-chief. It was at the sanitarium where Mr.
Kellogg and his brother first began experimenting with grains in order
to improve the vegetarian diet of the hospital's patients.
The Kellogg brothers' efforts proved groundbreaking, as the year 1894
marked W.K. Kellogg's discovery of a process for making flaked cereal.
The new cereal was an instant favorite among the sanitarium's patients
and soon became available through mail order to accommodate the
requests of hundreds of hospital guests.
In 1906, Mr. Kellogg officially entered the cereal business and
founded the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company--which later became
the Kellogg Company. Notably, the Kellogg Company product line
reflected Mr. Kellogg's belief that the entire populace--and not just
those on special diets--would be interested in healthy cereal foods.
Accordingly, Mr. Kellogg continually sought to improve his breakfast
cereals--eventually discovering that a better flake was produced by
using only the corn grit or ``sweet heart of the corn''--and the
Kellogg Company quickly became an industry leader in terms of
innovative packing and nutritional labeling.
As Mr. Kellogg's company quickly expanded its operations to locations
such as Australia and England, the Kellogg Company continued to play a
key economic role in Battle Creek and across the United States. During
the Great Depression, Mr. Kellogg, who famously announced that he would
invest his money in his people, expanded his facilities in Battle
Creek--thereby bringing much-needed jobs to his hometown. Similarly, he
directed his Battle Creek plant to offer four work shifts of six hours
each, so as to spread the payroll among more workers.
[[Page H3774]]
The Kellogg Company also played an instrumental role during World War
II, as the company provided packaged rations for the United States
armed forces. In addition, Kellogg Company engineering personnel made
use of the company's production facilities in support of United States
armed forces engineering efforts. And in recognition of the company's
contribution to the American war effort, Mr. Kellogg received the Army-
Navy ``E'' Flag for excellence.
In addition to his pioneering contributions to the food industry and
his devotion to promoting healthy living around the world, Mr. Kellogg
is also remembered as a dedicated philanthropist. Notably, in 1930,
President Herbert Hoover named Mr. Kellogg to serve as a delegate to
the White House Conference on Child Health and Protection, and in his
continued efforts to assist young people, Mr. Kellogg subsequently
established the W.K. Kellogg Child Welfare Foundation. The foundation,
now known as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, serves to provide a variety
of educational, healthcare, and other opportunities to vulnerable
children.
Moreover, Mr. Kellogg donated millions of dollars to a variety of
hometown causes throughout his life, including the establishment of the
Ann J. Kellogg School for Handicapped Children and the construction of
a civic auditorium, a junior high school, and a youth recreation center
in Battle Creek.
Mr. Speaker, after a lifetime of remarkable achievements in the world
of business and a dedicated commitment to public service, W.K. Kellogg
passed away on October 6th, 1951, at the age of 91. It is my hope that
we honor the life and achievements of Mr. Kellogg through the passage
of House Resolution 1172. Notably, this legislation is as timely as it
is fitting, as this past April marked the 150th Anniversary of Mr.
Kellogg's birth.
At this time I yield 5 minutes to the lead sponsor of this
resolution, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Schauer).
Mr. SCHAUER. Thank you, Mr. Lynch.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1172 to
commemorate the extraordinary life of Will Keith Kellogg. W.K. Kellogg
represents the embodiment of the American Dream. With an education only
through the sixth grade, Mr. Kellogg rose out of the stockyards of
Battle Creek, my home town in Michigan, to become one of the most
influential industrialists and philanthropists in American history.
Now, in the 150th year since his birth, through both the Kellogg
Company and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, he continues to touch the
lives of millions throughout the country and the world. Through the
invention of the ready-to-eat breakfast cereal in 1906, W.K. Kellogg
provided widespread access to a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals
for the first time. Think about this: W.K. Kellogg stood up an entire
industry that didn't exist before he invented the corn flake in Battle
Creek, Michigan.
Breakfast cereal has grown to become one of the most widely eaten
foods around the world. In many countries, fortified cereal breakfast
foods represent one of the few readily available sources of essential
micronutrients. A nutrition and health visionary, W.K. Kellogg hired
the first dietician to work in the food industry, was the first to
print nutrition labels on packaging, and believed strongly in educating
consumers to empower them to make good nutritional choices. With the
number of obese and overweight children on the rise, W.K. Kellogg's
message about nutritional awareness continues to resonate throughout
our country.
W.K. Kellogg formed a foundation which bears his name. During the
Great Depression, he announced, I'll invest my money in people. Today,
through the Kellogg Foundation, his legacy lives on. From the $64
million he set aside to ease the suffering of children during the Great
Depression, the Kellogg Foundation now boasts assets of over $8 billion
and grants upwards of $200 million each year to charitable
organizations, especially those aimed at benefiting children.
W.K. Kellogg would be proud of the Kellogg Company's work to attack
childhood obesity and the Kellogg Foundation's grant-making to promote
education and health and eliminate poverty and racism.
As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of his life, we should remind
ourselves of the increasing importance that a healthy lifestyle plays
in our lives and also remember that, in America, anything is possible.
Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of House Resolution 1172, recognizing the
life and achievements of Will Keith Kellogg. Will Keith Kellogg, who
was known worldwide as W.K. Kellogg, was a great American marketer,
philanthropist, patriot, and great revolutionary of the health food
industry.
Mr. Kellogg and his brother ran the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a local
health resort where he became interested in nutrition. Mr. Kellogg
found a process to use corn grain to create light flakes that many
guests in the sanitarium enjoyed. While his brother was skeptical, Mr.
Kellogg said, I sort of feel in my bones that we're preparing a
campaign for a food which will eventually prove to be the leading
cereal in the United States, if not the world.
Kellogg was also the first company to put a nutritional label on its
products, signifying the importance of nutrition in everyday living.
Mr. Kellogg worked long hours to get his products to the market. He
began to manufacture products in 18 countries and sell them to people
in 180 different countries, with production facilities in 14 States.
He believed in the hands-on approach by walking through factories and
observing operations daily. He was the first in the corporate world to
offer extended benefits and services to his workers. He was
particularly interested in helping children in 1927 when he opened a
nursery at his main plant to accommodate the needs of his female
employees with children.
In 1930 the W.K. Kellogg Child Welfare Foundation was established
with a first donation consisting of more than $66 million in Kellogg
Company stock and other investments from Kellogg himself. The
foundation believes that children are the world's future, and they
depend on families, communities, and society at large to nurture and
protect them.
In reflecting on his success, Mr. Kellogg once said, I confess at the
time I little realized the extent to which the food business might
develop in Battle Creek. Kellogg made sure to establish and maintain a
partnership between the small town of Battle Creek and its quickly
growing company.
{time} 1600
During the Great Depression, Kellogg showed his patriotism and love
of his country and community by his concerns for his fellow workers'
welfare. He created more shifts so that more family men could be hired,
directing his cereal plant to work four shifts, lasting 6 hours,
helping the Battle Creek community.
W.K. Kellogg was an American entrepreneur and breakfast
revolutionary. He stressed the importance of American made and American
duty. Upon retiring from his company in 1938, he remained a chairman of
the board and very involved in Kellogg's placement in the market. Mr.
Kellogg was diagnosed with glaucoma and spent the last of his life
blind but continued to visit his company's plants with his seeing-eye
dog.
When he passed away in 1951, W.K. Kellogg left America a legacy of
healthy living, patriotism, and entrepreneurism that still endures
today.
With that, Mr. Speaker, seeing no other speakers, I urge the support
of passage of House Resolution 1172.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's kind words and
also the words of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Schauer).
I would just add one last point, and that is that the Kellogg Company
also played an instrumental role during World War II as the company for
the first time provided packaged rations for the United States Armed
Forces.
In addition, during World War II, Kellogg Company engineering
personnel made use of the company's production facilities in support of
the United States Armed Forces engineering efforts. In recognition of
the company's contribution to the American war effort, Mr. Kellogg
received the Army-Navy E Flag for excellence.
With that, I would just ask Members on both sides of the aisle to
support Mr. Schauer in his resolution.
I yield back the balance of our time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Serrano). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from
[[Page H3775]]
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution, H. Res. 1172.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________