[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 207 (Tuesday, December 9, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H5060]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  16TH ANNUAL MARCH FOR THE FOOD BANK

  (Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts was recognized to address the House 
for 5 minutes.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, food costs are sky high, and regular 
people are struggling to put dinner on the table for their families. 
More and more people are relying on emergency food assistance at food 
banks and food pantries just to survive.
  This extraordinary need, exacerbated by Trump's cruelty and his 
administration's awful policies that have increased hunger made this 
year's March for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts more important 
than ever.
  Every November, an incredible team of antihunger advocates, concerned 
neighbors, and Federal, State, and local officials embark on a 43-mile 
walk to raise funds for and awareness about the terrible problem of 
hunger.
  As always, NEPM's incredible radio host Monte Belmonte led the group, 
pushing a shopping cart and rallying us to keep up the fight. This 
year, Monte's son Pax marched with us to support his dad and our effort 
to end hunger.
  I was joined by my incredible family--my wife, Lisa; my son, Patrick; 
Wendy, Bill, and Courtney Talcott; and baby Hazel. Their support and 
commitment to the cause of ending hunger means the world to me.
  I am grateful to Congressman Richie Neal and former Congressman Joe 
Kennedy for joining the march. I thank my colleagues in State 
government for showing up and continuing to work tirelessly to protect 
people in Massachusetts from the cruelty of this administration: Our 
amazing Governor, Maura Healey; Massachusetts Department of 
Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle; State Senators Jo 
Comerford and Jake Oliveira; State Representatives Natalie Blais, Mindy 
Domb, Lindsay Sabadosa, Homar Gomez, Shirley Arriaga, and Pat Duffy.
  I thank Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, Greenfield Mayor Ginny 
Desorgher, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia, and Chicopee Mayor John Vieau 
for marching with us.
  The hundreds of other people who joined the march--students, 
advocates, members of my staff, community leaders such as Tim Garvin of 
the United Way of Central Massachusetts, Sean Barry, Shannon from the 
Martin Luther King Center in Springfield, and so many, many more--are 
incredible. We had double the number of marchers this year compared to 
last.
  Along the way, the marchers stopped by some of the incredible food 
pantries that serve the people of western Massachusetts: the Amherst 
Survival Center, UMass Amherst Campus Pantry, Stone Soup Cafe, Kate's 
Kitchen and Providence Ministries, and Lorraine's Soup Kitchen & 
Pantry.
  We were able to keep going thanks to the nourishment of De La Luz and 
Holyoke Community College Culinary Arts program, Berkshire Brewing 
Company, Bub's Bar-B-Que, Holyoke Hummus, and Hillside Pizza. A shout-
out to Dean's Beans coffee for keeping us caffeinated during the entire 
march.
  I also thank local law enforcement--Deerfield and Springfield Police, 
and the Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin County Sheriff's Departments--
for keeping us safe along the march.
  I thank our media sponsors--New England Public Media and WRSI 93.9, 
The River--for broadcasting the walk and raising awareness among people 
in western Massachusetts.
  I am so grateful to my friend, Andrew Morehouse, of the Food Bank of 
Western Massachusetts and his entire team, particularly the development 
team, for all they do to improve food security among people in western 
Massachusetts and for their work in organizing this incredible event 
every single year.
  This march is tough. The days are very long, and we were exhausted by 
the end of it, but it is nothing compared to the struggle people in 
poverty face every single day just trying to survive in the United 
States of America, the richest country in the history of the world.
  My great desire is to never again have to do this walk, not because 
of the long days or the cold weather or the aching legs and feet, but 
because I dream of a day when every family is food secure and no person 
goes to bed wondering where their next meal is going to come from.
  Sadly, we are further from that goal today than we were a year ago. 
The Trump administration and the Republicans in Congress have taken a 
sledgehammer to basic needs programs that help regular people afford 
food. They have completely ignored rising costs and the needs of real 
people, instituting the largest cuts to healthcare and food assistance 
in American history, all to give tax breaks to the wealthiest people in 
this country.
  This year's march raised nearly a million dollars, and that is a lot 
of money, but it is nowhere near enough to make up for the cuts imposed 
by Trump's big, ugly bill.
  Charity alone has never, will never, can never make up for the 
hundreds of billions of dollars in Federal cuts. Ending hunger requires 
strong Federal investments in basic needs programs and a strategy 
championed by the Federal Government.
  Until we have a government that is willing to meaningfully invest in 
basic needs programs, we will continue to march in support of a future 
where we are able to finally end hunger now.

                          ____________________