[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 156 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7994-H7995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL FAMILY MEALS MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Marshall) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MARSHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about one of my 
favorite topics: supper.
  Growing up a farm kid in rural Kansas, supper was always a great 
time, a special time. As a matter of fact, most everything I needed to 
ever learn, I learned at the supper table.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing the celebration and importance of September as National 
Family Meals Month, a grassroots movement to raise awareness of the 
benefits of bringing families together around the supper table for 
frequent family meals.
  Family meals are at a critical intersection in our Nation. The will 
to return to the table exists, but families need a friendly familiar 
voice to show them the way.
  As a physician, a husband, a father, and now a grandfather, I can 
speak to the positive impact having one or more family meals around the 
table each week can create for families and communities.
  I believe there are Main Street issues, economic issues, and then 
there are suppertime issues as well. It is the issues at the dinner 
table we need to be more focused on.
  In my house, we traditionally have dinner each day at 6 p.m., no 
exceptions. My wife, Laina, has an open invitation policy at our dining 
table. Our family and friends, whoever is over at our house, knows they 
can always have a seat, and as my dad used to say: ``We will just throw 
another potato in the pot.'' But one rule, they can't be late. And 
number two, you have to leave your cellphone in your bedroom.
  We take the time to sit down without the day's distractions and 
discuss the issues impacting our lives and how we can provide support 
to one another.
  Frequent family meals create stronger family relationships and 
provide opportunities to connect with loved ones and talk about your 
day. Eating together feeds the emotional well-being of all family 
members.
  With the growing influence of social media and so many distractions, 
the table is one of the safe places left where families consistently 
can have a conversation together.
  It is our local grocery stores that are helping bring families back 
to the table. They work to provide busy customers like you and me easy 
mealtime solutions and to realize the health and social benefits they 
contain.

                              {time}  1015

  With our very trusted neighborhood grocery stores assisting us with 
our mealtime challenges, I know we can get back to the table.
  Right now, let's each of us promise to have more family meals and to 
get together at least once a week, because at home, together, is how 
Kansans and

[[Page H7995]]

Americans across this great Nation want, and need, to eat.


               Recognizing New Bilateral Trade Agreement

  Mr. MARSHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to talk about the biggest 
news of the week, a new story I have yet to see the national media 
cover.
  Yesterday, in New York City, the President of the United States and 
the Prime Minister of Japan signed a bilateral trade agreement, a 
historic trade agreement. It is historic because the United States has 
never had a trade agreement with Japan.
  I want to, first of all, thank Prime Minister Abe and all the 
Japanese for their business. Their business is so important to Kansas 
agriculture, to Kansas farmers, and to Kansas ranchers. I thank the 
Prime Minister and his staff for working so hard on this historic free 
and reciprocal trade agreement and for getting it done in record time. 
The speed that this agreement was done shows and proves the commitment 
of President Trump to our agricultural producers that the President 
values agriculture and knows that we feed not just our Nation but the 
entire world.
  As many of you already know, Japan is the number one market for 
United States beef, pork, and wheat, all very important to Kansas 
farmers and ranchers.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Prime Minister and Mr. President for 
showing their leadership.
  Now, once again, I ask the Speaker of the House to show leadership 
and bring the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to this floor. That 
agreement is the most important issue that this Congress can be facing. 
I cannot control what the Chinese are going to do in trade 
negotiations, but we can control the USMCA trade agreement. That is 
what is important to Kansans. That is what Kansans want us working on.

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