[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16735]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  CONCERNING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD IN SCHOOLS TO 
            HUNGRY OR MALNOURISHED CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                    HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 2004

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of 
House Resolution 422. Recognizing that more than 300 million children 
suffer from chronic hunger worldwide, we need to restore funding for 
this program at levels similar to those of the original pilot program.
  Providing nutritious food at schools worldwide is a simple, but 
effective way to improve literacy rates and help poor children break 
out of poverty.
  I strongly believe this funding is key to combating several root 
causes of international terrorism. It increases the school attendance 
of children who may otherwise be susceptible to recruitment by 
terrorist groups who offer meals.
  As a co-sponsor of this legislation, I also believe that by providing 
financial and technical assistance for school feeding and maternal and 
child nutrition programs, we help fight HIV/AIDS. Schools provide one 
of the most effective means to teach children about disease prevention.
  These are specific examples of how school feeding operations benefit 
low-income countries.
  The fact that both the initial pilot program and the current 
McGovern-Dole Program have a proven track record at reducing the 
incidence of hunger among school-age children, increasing attendance, 
particularly for girls, and improving literacy and primary education, 
clearly indicates that we should work with the United Nations and its 
member states to expand international contributions for the 
distribution of food in schools around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, let us not forget how global school feeding operations 
benefit low-income countries--education is a path to upward mobility 
that can help poor children improve their standard of living, and, most 
importantly, help poor nations develop more productive, self-reliant 
economies.

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