[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 182 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H8602-H8603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
                     PROPER NUTRITION FOR EVERYONE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Aderholt). The Chair recognizes the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about nutrition and, 
more specifically, malnutrition. My family and I have traveled across 
the country doing mission work, from the poorest country in this 
Western Hemisphere, Haiti; to the plains of Kenya; across Mexico; and 
throughout Central America.
  On those trips, I went there as a physician thinking that I could 
help people, but what I quickly discovered was that, despite how many 
antibiotics or bottles of IV fluids that I had, without proper 
nutrition, without proper water and sewage treatment, I was simply 
running into a headwind in a war that I could never win.
  Unfortunately, across the globe, there are almost 1 billion people 
who suffer from malnutrition, and it is a problem that doesn't exist 
just across the world. It also exists in my own district, in my own 
communities. We think that actually about 12 percent of the United 
States households have food insecurity issues, and, in households with 
children, the number goes up to 16 percent of food insecurity issues.
  It would be my opinion, without this hierarchy of needs being met, 
the hierarchy of the needs of proper water, proper sewage, and proper 
nutrition, that you will never have a healthy community. Without a 
healthy community, you will never see economic growth.
  This battle against malnutrition is long running. In recent years, 
many in the hunger community have recognized the value of fighting 
malnutrition in targeted ways. One way was popularized by Roger Thurow 
in his book, ``The First 1,000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and 
Children--And the World.''
  Research shows that good nutrition actually begins before conception. 
Good nutrition starts before conception, continues throughout the 
woman's pregnancy, and, especially, those first 2 years after a child's 
birth are very important.
  As a practicing obstetrician for 25 years, I see over and over the 
impact of proper nutrition. Proper nutrition in those first 1,000 days 
starts with a well-balanced diet and adequate calories. Additionally, 
we always try to start our prenatal vitamins at least 3 months before 
conception.
  You might ask: Why is that important? What we have found is that if 
there is adequate folic acid in a woman's body, along with adequate 
iron, it decreases birth defects, and it decreases premature birth and 
low birth weights. Specifically, folic acid decreases neural tube 
defects. So those two vitamins are particularly important that we 
continue in these diets preconceptually, during the pregnancy, then 
after for at least the first 2 years.
  A child that receives the proper 1,000 days of nutrition has a lower 
chance of obesity, heart disease, and chronic illnesses. The child is 
10 times more likely to overcome serious childhood illnesses and is 
more likely to fulfill their full God-given potential.
  What we know and understand is that the most vulnerable will succumb 
to viruses, whether it is the elderly or the infants, if they don't 
have proper nutrition. An investment during this critical time period, 
these first 1,000 days, not only impacts the development of the child, 
but results in a higher likelihood of healthiness in generations to

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follow, allowing the benefits of adequate nutrition to compound over 
time.
  As we in Congress begin to consider the reauthorization of the new 
farm bill, we have been reviewing many programs targeting hunger and 
malnourishment. These programs allow our State governments and 
nonprofits to promote nutrition and assist in providing food for women 
and children, both here at home and around the globe. I am especially 
proud of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education program, 
but what we, of course, call in Kansas the Dole-McGovern International 
Food for Education program.
  This program has provided over 44 million people in low-income, food-
deficient countries across the world with a meal during the school time 
to help those kids do better in school. This is made possible by 
donations from the U.S. agricultural products and the kindness of 
Americans.
  Food for Peace is another lifesaving food assistance program that, 
for more than 60 years, has helped tens of millions of people get 
enough to eat through emergency development and nutritional support 
programs.
  Not only do these programs provide the food necessary to help these 
countries provide good nutrition for women and children, they benefit 
U.S. national security and foster goodwill.
  Lending a helping hand to those around the globe is a classic 
American value, but assisting those here at home is an absolute 
priority. This is being achieved through the special Supplemental 
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, the WIC program as 
most of us have called it. I have got such great, firsthand experience 
in seeing how important this WIC program is to pregnant women and 
breastfeeding women. It is not only the vitamins that we give them, but 
it is the extra education that we give them to help raise their 
children in a healthy environment.
  So we need to provide Federal grants to these States through the WIC 
program that are used to provide food supplements and nutritional 
education to low-income mothers and babies. Nutrition is so critical 
for these first 1,000 days, it goes far beyond anything that I can say 
or any statistics I can quote. As we continue to strive for improved 
national global health, the importance of these first 1,000 days should 
not be underemphasized.
  The United States has an opportunity to make a global statement in 
advancing this initiative. No matter where you are in the world, you 
can be assured that community health, economic growth, and quality of 
life begins with good nutrition.

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