[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 194 (Wednesday, December 14, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1278-E1279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING THE COMMITMENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO BUILDING 
ON THE TWENTY YEARS OF SUCCESS OF THE GEORGE McGOVERN-ROBERT DOLE FOOD 
               FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 13, 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1156, 
expressing the commitment of the House of Representatives to building 
on the 20 years of success of the George McGovern-Robert Dole Food for 
Education and Child Nutrition Program.
  The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child 
Nutrition Program helps support education, child development and food 
security in low-income, food-deficit countries around the globe.
  In 2017, there were 821 million people worldwide experiencing hunger. 
That is 1 in every 9 people.
  Sixty-six million children are experiencing hunger worldwide every 
day. One in 6 children are food insecure.
  According to UNICEF, approximately 3.1 million children globally die 
from undernutrition every year. It is estimated that every 10 seconds a 
child around the globe dies from hunger.
  Even in the United States, hunger and food insecurity are major 
problems. In my home of Houston, almost 725,000 people experience food 
insecurity, which amounts to about 23 percent of Houston's households.
  More than 500,000 Houstonians live in food deserts. These food 
deserts are found mostly in areas with limited transportation, lack of 
aid, and high unemployment rates.
  Hunger is also tragic because it reflects economic and social 
inequity. In Houston, for example, food deserts are more likely to 
occur in primarily Black communities.
  Lack of food doesn't just impact a child's hunger levels. Food 
insecurity stunts a child's growth and development and often children 
fall behind in school because they are unable to focus while 
experiencing hunger.
  Children who experience food insecurity grow into adults with health 
complications that emerged from the lack of food.
  As former Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus I worked to 
improve the lives of children not only in the United States, but 
globally because the children are the future, and we must do everything 
possible to protect them.
  Global food insecurity is of great importance to me because, not only 
am I a longtime Member of the House Hunger Caucus, I represent the same 
Congressional District that had been represented by iconic leaders who 
fought to end hunger in the U.S. and globally.
  I am proud to continue the historic legacy of Congresswoman Barbara 
Jordan, who was a champion for human dignity and fought for the rights 
of all people regardless of race, gender, heritage, or economic status, 
and Congressman Mickey Leland, who worked tirelessly to raise awareness 
of, and fight for, policies to end food insecurity around the globe and 
who, tragically, died in a plane crash while working to end world 
hunger on a relief mission in Ethiopia.
  Starvation is a terrible thing. It's something that nobody should 
have to go through. And yet, there are people in this world who are 
starving right now as a consequence of natural disasters, war, and even 
as a tool of warfare.
  In Pakistan, food deprivation is compounded by the human toll from 
recent floods and other natural disasters. Using drought to 
strategically exacerbate starvation is unacceptable.
  The people of Ethiopia's Tigre Province are being subjected to a 
truly vile and malicious use of food deprivation in this way. The 
region was already suffering from drought, and when compounded by 
forced starvation from denial of access to food as a weapon of war, the 
effect is heinous and the consequences are unforgiveable.

[[Page E1279]]

  Russia's aggression against Ukraine is a global food insecurity 
tragedy on multiple levels. As Putin wages his war against the people 
of Ukraine, he uses food as a weapon by destroying the food production 
and transportation capacity of the country he invaded. At the same 
time, since Ukraine grows grains and crops that feed much of the world, 
Putin's devastation of Ukraine's food production infrastructure and 
takeovers of Ukrainian food exports cause food insecure populations of 
countless countries to suffer, especially in Africa.
  The McGovern-Dole program also aims to defeat malnutrition. Children 
across the globe are affected by malnutrition and the McGovern Dole 
program is working to combat this debilitating condition.
  The McGovern-Dole Program has been successful at saving lives all 
over the world for 20 years.
  This program boosts school enrollment, increases attendance, and 
improves reading outcomes and literacy results through providing school 
meals, teacher training, and government capacity-building.
  The McGovern-Dole Program has been able to improve health, nutrition, 
and dietary practices through supporting Maternal and Child Nutrition 
(MCN). The program encourages the inclusion of health and nutrition 
sensitive activities, such as micronutrient-fortified products, take-
home rations, treatments for illnesses, and nutrition education.
  H. Res. 1156 must be passed. With bipartisan Congressional support, 
the United States has been able to work with other countries on hunger, 
specifically childhood hunger, which is a devastating condition.
  It is imperative that we continue to work together to reduce hunger 
worldwide.
  We must end this unnecessary suffering before it claims even more 
lives.
  This bill must be important to us all. Investing in children today 
will only benefit the world in the future.
  We must continue this program to address global food insecurity and 
create conditions for peace and stability.
  This effort will support U.S. farmers, millers, shippers, and 
commodity groups that provide agricultural commodities for the program 
to help combat malnutrition and food insecurity worldwide.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical bill 
that will build upon the 20 years of success of the George McGovern-
Robert Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition 
Program.

                          ____________________