[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 18165-18168]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE FACING A GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 344) recognizing 
that we are facing a global food crisis, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 344

       Whereas according to the United Nations, over 850,000,000 
     people in the world are chronically or acutely malnourished, 
     and over 300,000,000 of these are children;
       Whereas the 2000 United Nations Millennium Development 
     Summit called for halving the proportion of hungry people in 
     the world by the year 2015, but progress reaching this goal 
     has been slow, and, according to the United Nations Food and 
     Agricultural Organization, only the Latin American and 
     Caribbean region has been reducing the prevalence of hunger 
     quickly enough to reach this target;
       Whereas every year, malnutrition caused by chronic hunger 
     leads to the death of an estimated 5,600,000 children under 5 
     years old;
       Whereas, according to UNICEF, an estimated 146,000,000 
     children, or roughly one in every four children under 5 years 
     old, are underweight;
       Whereas hunger and malnutrition weaken the immune system, 
     and as a result treatable diseases pose a greater risk to 
     malnourished children;
       Whereas even temporary deprivation of essential nutrients 
     can have a lasting impact on children's physical growth and 
     intellectual potential;
       Whereas children who are only mildly underweight are twice 
     as likely to die of infectious diseases as children who are 
     better nourished, and children who are moderately or severely 
     underweight are 5 to 8 times more likely to die of infectious 
     diseases;
       Whereas according to a study conducted by the United 
     Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 45 percent of 
     children who died after contracting measles were 
     malnourished, as were 60 percent of children who died after 
     contracting severe diarrhea;
       Whereas chronic hunger and undernutrition can lead to 
     growth retardation (stunting), affecting an estimated 
     168,000,000 children under the age of 5 in developing 
     countries;
       Whereas some 42 percent of children under the age of 5 are 
     stunted in the least developed countries, compared to 30 
     percent globally;
       Whereas women whose growth was stunted face ongoing health 
     complications as adults, are more likely to have obstructed 
     labor, are at greater risk of dying during childbirth, and 
     are more likely to deliver children who are premature and 
     stunted;
       Whereas stunted growth has also been linked to diminished 
     work capacity and higher propensity to diseases, including 
     diabetes and heart disease, in adults;
       Whereas the global community is currently facing a food 
     crisis, with food prices doubling over the past 3 years and 
     rising 65 percent between January and April 2007 alone, and 
     the World Bank has estimated that the emergency situation 
     could push 100,000,000 people in low-income countries deeper 
     into poverty;
       Whereas in times of food crisis, families often must cut 
     more expensive foods, such as meat, fruit, and vegetables, 
     from their diets, instead relying on less nutritious staples 
     such as rice and maize, foods without the nutrients necessary 
     for proper child growth;
       Whereas, on June 3, 2008, through June 5, 2008, more than 
     180 countries, including more than 40 heads of state and more 
     than 100 ministers, attended and participated in the High 
     Level Conference on World Food Security in Rome, Italy;
       Whereas at the High Level Conference on World Food 
     Security, the participating countries pledged to increase 
     their assistance for developing countries, in particular 
     least developed countries and those that are most negatively 
     affected by high food prices; and
       Whereas the G8 member states declared at the 2008 Hokkaido 
     Toyko Summit their commitment to addressing urgent needs of 
     the most vulnerable people suffering from the global food 
     crisis and to increasing investment in long-term agricultural 
     development and for programs that respond to the underlying 
     causes of food insecurity: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) in emergency situations, children have different needs 
     than those of adults, and nutritional deficiencies 
     disproportionately affect children;
       (2) in the context of the current global food crisis, the 
     nutritional needs of children must be a humanitarian 
     priority; and
       (3) the United States and the other G8 member states should 
     continue to monitor the impact of the global food crisis on 
     children and commit to increasing their assistance to respond 
     to the global food crisis, and specifically, responding to 
     the needs of children impacted by the global food crisis.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Let me indicate to my friends and colleagues that I thank the 
chairman of the full committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Berman, and the 
ranking member, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, for their collaborative 
effort in this legislation that I am now offering today, and it is 
interesting that we bring this legislation to the floor of the House at 
a time that we have watched the Caribbean being ravaged by one 
hurricane after another.
  One of the most unfortunate scenes or incidences that have occurred 
is the constant beating, if you will, of the island of Haiti, the 
nation of Haiti, a long-time ally and friend of the United States.
  My legislation speaks to prioritization of children during the food 
crisis and this global food crisis that has been occurring over the 
last couple of months. Now, more than ever, with the ravaging of Haiti 
through the Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, we know that children are 
suffering. There are places in Haiti where rescue teams for food and 
water cannot even rise or locate or be able to reach. Therefore, I rise 
today to speak to an issue as fundamental as our basic needs as human 
beings, and that is the travesty that we must address. But, 
unfortunately, we have to do so.
  We are facing a global food crisis, now compounded by natural 
disasters. Furthermore, this food crisis is not only having a wide 
impact in countries far away, but also right here at home in our 
hemisphere.
  In a nation with plenty, many of our children are going to bed with 
nothing to eat. Tackling worldwide hunger is a moral imperative which 
threatens the political and economic stability of a multitude of 
developing nations. The recent dramatic increase in food prices will 
continue to have a destabilizing affect in already unstable regions of 
the world where so many lives are already vulnerable to ongoing 
conflicts and political turmoil.

[[Page 18166]]

  According to the United Nations, over 850 million people in the world 
are chronically or acutely malnourished, and over 300 million of these 
are children. The statistics are both shocking and tragic. Can you 
imagine the impact now with the natural disasters. Globally, a child 
dies every 7 seconds. Malnutrition caused by chronic hunger leads to 
the death of an estimated 5.6 million children under 5 years old, and 
roughly 1 in every 4 children under 5 years old is underweight.
  Rising food prices have precipitated a crisis situation. On March 20 
of this year, the U.N. World Food Program made an urgent appeal to the 
United States and other food aid donors for an additional $500 million 
to fill a funding gap caused by rising food and fuel prices. Since 
then, this gap has expanded. It is now an estimated $755 million.
  As food prices rise, children are the first to suffer. Hunger is a 
condition of poverty. Living below poverty puts tremendous strains on a 
household, giving families barely enough money to purchase healthy and 
nutritious foods, as well as other essentials of life. Nutrition 
research shows that as income goes down, the nutritional adequacy of 
the household's diet goes down as well.
  According to the data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, 50.9 
million people, or 17 percent of all Americans, if we can imagine, 
lived on less than 125 percent of Federal poverty level in 2007. This 
is the ``borrow from Peter to pay Paul.'' This is people who probably 
are suffering, even with food stamps. This means they are income-
eligible for most Federal nutrition programs like food stamps and other 
child nutrition programs. These programs can help families and children 
stretch their food dollars and get access to healthy foods.
  To set the poverty level, the U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of income 
thresholds based on the Consumer Price Index. In 2007, the Federal 
poverty guideline for a family of four was $21,203. The new Census data 
shows that 37.3 million persons, or 12.5 percent of our population, 
lived in poverty. My friends, it is happening worldwide, including the 
United States of America.
  Children continue to be the poorest age group in the country, with 
13.3 million children, or 18 percent of all children under age 18, were 
poor; a larger percentage than any other group; 20.8 percent of related 
children under age 6 in families lived in poverty; 9.7 of all Americans 
65 and over, or 3.6 million elderly, were poor; and the poverty rate 
for non-Hispanic whites was 8.2 percent, 24.5 for African Americans, 
21.5 for Hispanics, and 10.2 for Asians.
  As the Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I am 
particularly concerned about the devastating impacts that hunger and 
malnutrition have on children. Mr. Speaker, I have been in the feeding 
camps of Africa. I have watched as they have come in trucks to be able 
to deliver the food. I am sympathetic, and I understand when people are 
hungry, but the stampede of adults stampeding past children, or even 
sometimes the children being used to get more food and not having it 
distributed, is an issue.
  Lack of adequate nutrition stunts children's growth, leaves then more 
vulnerable to numerous diseases, and affects their ability to learn. 
Even temporary deprivation of essential nutrients can have a lasting 
impact on children's physical growth and intellectual potential. Under 
current conditions, more and more children face the prospect of growing 
up malnourished.
  On May 7, with the help of 46 of my colleagues, I introduced H. Con. 
Res. 344, recognizing the global food crisis, the disproportionate 
effect rising food prices have on children, and calling for the 
prioritization of the nutritional needs of children.
  My resolution calls for the United States and other G8 nations to 
continue to monitor the impact of the global food crisis on children 
and commit to increasing their assistance to respond to the global food 
crisis, and, specifically, responding to the needs of children impacted 
by the global food crisis.
  I hope in the passage of this legislation that a statement can go 
forward to those who are helping in sending humanitarian aid to Haiti 
and others in the Caribbean that we get a focus on the children during 
this, if you will, this disaster.
  It is important to note that along with the Global Health Caucus and 
the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, we held a 
briefing on the effect of the global food crisis on children. We heard 
from UNICEF, the World Food Programme, Save the Children, World Vision, 
Christian Children's Fund, and the Congressional Hunger Center, and 
Danny Glover, all emphasizing the importance of this issue. Therefore, 
I look forward to continuing to focus on this, with rising food prices, 
families in needs, the loss of nutrition, and yes, the amount of 
children that suffer.
  Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to note that when we think, we 
should think of children who are constantly suffering, being able to 
have cups of milk, which emphasizes why it is important to ensure that 
children don't look like this who are here and around the world.
  My predecessor, Congressman Mickey Leland, died in Ethiopia, as I 
always say, on the side of an Ethiopian mountain, because he was trying 
to end world hunger. In his name and those who have gone on, the 
Congressional Hunger Center, it is important to recognize the children.
  I want to thank my colleagues, Representatives McGovern, Payne, 
McCollum, and Blumenauer, for their work on hunger and water issues, 
and I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak of an issue so fundamental to our 
basic needs as human beings that it is a travesty that we must address 
it--but unfortunately we do. We are facing a global food crisis. 
Furthermore, this food crisis is not only having a widespread impact in 
countries far away, but also right here at home and in our hemisphere.
  In a nation with plenty, many of our children are going to bed with 
nothing to eat. Tackling worldwide hunger is a moral imperative which 
threatens the political and economic stability of a multitude of 
developing nations. The recent dramatic increase in food prices will 
continue to have a destabilizing effect in already unstable regions of 
the world where so many lives are already vulnerable to ongoing 
conflicts and political turmoil.
  According to the United Nations, over 850 million people in the world 
are chronically or acutely malnourished and over 300 million of these 
are children. The statistics are both shocking and tragic: globally, a 
child dies every 7 seconds, malnutrition caused by chronic hunger leads 
to the death of an estimated 5,600,000 children under 5 years old, and 
roughly one in every four children under 5 years old is underweight.
  Rising food prices have precipitated a crisis situation. On March 20 
of this year, the U.N. World Food Program made an urgent appeal to the 
United States and other food aid donors for an additional $500 million 
to fill a funding gap caused by rising food and fuel prices. Since 
then, this gap has expanded, and is now an estimated $755 million. As 
food prices rise, children are the first to suffer.
  Hunger is a condition of poverty. Living below poverty puts 
tremendous strains on a household, giving families barely enough money 
to purchase healthy and nutritious foods, as well as other essentials 
of life. Nutrition research shows that as income goes down the 
nutritional adequacy of the household's diet goes down as well.
  According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, 50.9 million 
people, or 17 percent of all Americans, lived on less than 125 percent 
of the Federal poverty level in 2007. This means they are income-
eligible for most Federal nutrition programs, like food stamps and 
other child nutrition programs. These programs can help families and 
children stretch their food dollars and get access to healthy foods.
  To set the poverty level, the U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of income 
thresholds based on the Consumer Price Index. In 2007, the Federal 
poverty guideline for a family of four was $21,203.
  The new Census data shows that 37.3 million Americans--or 12.5 
percent of our population--lived in poverty in 2007. Children continued 
to be the poorest age group in the country: 13.3 million children, or 
18 percent of all children under age 18, were poor--a larger percentage 
than any other age group; 20.8 percent of related children under age 
six in families lived in poverty; 9.7 percent of all Americans 65 and 
over, or 3.6 million elderly, were poor. The poverty rate for non-
Hispanic

[[Page 18167]]

whites was 8.2 percent, 24.5 percent for blacks, 21.5 percent for 
Hispanics, and 10.2 percent for Asians.
  As Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I am particularly 
concerned about the devastating effect that hunger and malnutrition 
have on children. Lack of adequate nutrition stunts children's growth, 
leaves them more vulnerable to numerous diseases, and affects their 
ability to learn. Even temporary deprivation of essential nutrients can 
have a lasting impact on children's physical growth and intellectual 
potential, and, under current conditions, more and more children face 
the prospect of growing up malnourished.
  On May 7, 2008, with the support of 46 of my colleagues, I introduced 
H. Con. Res. 344, legislation recognizing the global food crisis and 
the disproportionate effect rising food prices have on children, and 
calling for the prioritization of the nutritional needs of children.
  My resolution calls for the United States and the other G8 member 
states to continue to monitor the impact of the global food crisis on 
children and commit to increasing their assistance to respond to the 
global food crisis, and specifically, responding to the needs of 
children impacted by the global food crisis.
  In addition, the Congressional Children's Caucus, together with the 
Global Health Caucus and the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and 
Global Health, held a briefing on the effect of the global food crisis 
on children. Members of Congress heard from panelists from UNICEF, the 
World Food Programme, Save the Children, World Vision, Christian 
Children's Fund, and the Congressional Hunger Center, as well as 
special guest Danny Glover, to galvanize the United States Congress to 
take action on this important issue.
  As a senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I will be 
hosting the Children Issue Forum on September 25, 2008. The panel will 
be on the Global Food and Water Crisis. I will again convene experts on 
this crisis, not only to look at how we arrived at such disastrous food 
levels but how we solve this issue.
  As a result of rising food prices, families throughout the world, 
particularly in developing nations but also here in the United States, 
are increasingly facing a decision between quantity and quality when 
buying food. With incomes stretched thinner by the day, many families 
must either buy significantly smaller quantities of food, or purchase 
less nutritious food. In times of food crisis, families face cuts in 
expensive foods, such as meat, fruit, and vegetables.
  The loss of these nutritious foods, in favor of cheaper staples such 
as rice and maize, is extremely detrimental to children's development, 
putting them at greater risk of disease or stunted growth. The full 
extent of the consequences of deprivation of vital nutrients during 
essential stages of growth is not known. However, it is clear that once 
children's growth is stunted by malnutrition, they do not catch up to 
their peers.
  While it is important that we respond to the emergency we currently 
face, our solutions must take a long-term view as well. We cannot 
simply provide increased food aid; we must address the root causes of 
chronic hunger by addressing systemic problems with food production and 
food prices in the developing world. If we do not, we risk finding 
ourselves facing recurring food crises in the coming years.
  In the midst of this current food crisis, I am reminded of my 
distinguished predecessor, Congressman Mickey Leland. In 1989, 
Congressman Leland lost his life in Ethiopia, fighting the same battle 
against global hunger that we continue to face today. It is tragic 
that, in the year 2008, we still have not learned to draw the links 
between hunger, violence, and instability. I thank my colleagues 
Representatives McGovern, Payne, McCollum and Blumenauer for their work 
on hunger and water issues. But we cannot leave this to only a few 
Members, we must all work together now, and we must find a way to win 
the war on hunger.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 
344, which recognizes the impact that the global food crisis will have 
on vulnerable children in the developing world. This resolution reminds 
us all that the children of impoverished families are suffering even 
more today as a result of the rapid worldwide increase in prices of 
basic foods in recent months, such as wheat.
  All of us are facing rising food and energy costs in our own homes 
and families, but for many around the world those changes are a matter 
of life and death. When we see newspaper photos of dying children, we 
see the urgency of this crisis for countless families throughout our 
world.
  I am pleased that the President and the Congress have taken concrete 
steps to help poor people facing this dire reality by increasing 
America's food aid. Notwithstanding the challenges we face in our own 
communities, it is a testament to the enduring generosity of the 
American people that we remain the largest donor of food assistance in 
the world. Americans give of their wealth throughout the world, 
especially to people in need.
  Many of the poorest people in developing countries work extremely 
hard to earn just a dollar or two every day, and then have to survive 
off that meager sum, managing somehow to find affordable food. It may 
be hard for some of us to imagine how difficult that is in other 
countries.
  This resolution describes the food crisis and the many complications 
that children suffer as a result of lack of proper nutrition. It notes 
that 5\1/2\ million children under the age of 5 die each year due to 
malnutrition caused by chronic hunger. It reminds us that even if 
malnourished children don't starve to death, they face a heightened 
risk of dying of numerous infections, as well as lifelong impacts on 
their physical growth and intellectual potential.
  With that in mind, this resolution states the nutritional needs of 
children must be a humanitarian priority in our response to the current 
global food crisis. I commend the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson-
Lee) for introducing this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.
  In closing, I'd like to thank my 46 cosponsors and thank my 
distinguished friend from Texas for his support of this legislation. As 
well, having no further speakers, I would like to yield back and ask my 
colleagues to strongly support prioritizing children and helping us to 
end or to solve the global food crisis and the negative impact on the 
world's children and American children.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 344 today 
and applaud the Congress for finally recognizing the serious human, 
economic, and moral impact the global food crisis has had on the world 
community. In particular, I want to recognize the author of this bill, 
the Gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Sheila Jackson-Lee, for her continuing 
advocacy on behalf of the many millions of hungry people around the 
world; people whose stories often go untold in our public debate.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the course of action proposed in this 
resolution. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon should immediately convene a 
taskforce, composed of the heads of the United Nations aid agencies and 
the World Bank, to both address this growing crisis and close the 
$755,000,000 funding gap for the World Food Programme. The 850,000,000 
chronically or acutely malnourished human beings living on this planet 
demand nothing less.
  If anything, the heavy toll borne by Haiti and other Caribbean 
nations during this hurricane season has only added to the urgency of 
holding such a meeting. Unless the world community crafts a serious, 
comprehensive aid plan that can be deployed in a quick and effective 
manner, the lack of access to clean water and food in these nations 
will lead to an untold and unacceptable loss of human life.
  I also want to remind my colleagues that the global food price surge 
is hitting Americans here at home. According to the Department of 
Labor, prices for staples such as bread, milk, eggs, and flour are 
rising sharply, surging in the past year at double-digit rates. Milk 
prices, for example, increased 26 percent over the year. Egg prices 
jumped 40 percent. Chronic hunger and malnourishment are ailments that 
affect more than just the citizens of third-world foreign locales; they 
affect our neighbors, our children, and our parents.
  In the long-term, our country must confront our contribution to this 
crisis. Although we have little control over sky-rocketing oil prices, 
we have the power to re-evaluate and improve our agricultural policy in 
ways that will ease the pain at the register for food consumers, both 
here and abroad. In particular, slashing some farm subsidies and ending 
de facto price controls that mainly benefit massive corporate farms 
would go along way towards lowering food prices. Our country can only 
afford

[[Page 18168]]

to pay our farmers not to produce when prices are low and food is 
ample. In times like these, such subsidies may be a luxury we cannot 
afford.
  In the meantime, I encourage the Congress to speak with one voice and 
endorse the multilateral engagement proposed in this resolution. While 
It alone wIll not solve this complex problem, it is a necessary and 
needed component of a successful and comprehensive strategy.
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Con. Res. 344, which recognizes that we are facing a global food 
crisis. And I applaud Congresswoman Jackson-Lee for bringing needed 
focus to the vast and spreading hunger epidemic.
  In the last 3 years, global prices for basic staples such as rice, 
wheat and corn are up more than 80 percent. Many trends converged on 
this moment to lift global food prices to historic heights. Bad weather 
in developing countries, a shift toward biofuels in the West, 
underinvestment in agriculture by international donors, and growing 
demand in countries like China and India all contributed to the present 
challenge.
  The result has been devastating for the poor. In some places, there 
is no food. In other places, food has become unaffordable. In Haiti, 
desperate people--moms and dads and kids--are literally eating mud to 
survive. They are making cakes of clay, salt and shortening because 
they cannot afford real food.
  Over 1 billion people already live on less than 1 dollar per day. 
Skyrocketing food prices are forcing 100 million more people into deep 
poverty, erasing decades of progress in fighting poverty and creating a 
moral call to action a just Nation cannot ignore. Food riots have 
erupted in critical countries including Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt and 
Afghanistan, destabilizing governments and threatening U.S. national 
security.
  All of America's investments in global development are undermined by 
the food crisis. PEPFAR's drugs won't save starving people. Programs in 
education and child survival are essential, but they have little impact 
when most basic human need goes unmet.
  The United States has responded with a generous commitment of 
emergency food aid. Yet, emergency aid will never get us ahead of what 
threatens to be an enduring challenge. Some of the trends that created 
the crisis may ease, but others including climate change and growing 
demand for food will only accelerate. Congress must recognize that the 
nature of international hunger has changed due to changes in the global 
economy and environment. We must agree a new approach is needed from 
our government and international partners. And we must commit to a 
long-term strategy that prioritizes new and substantial funding to 
improve agricultural productivity in developing countries.
  America's investments in global agriculture declined for years while 
other program budgets soared. In 1985, 12 percent of all U.S. official 
development assistance went toward agriculture. Thirty years later in 
2005, agriculture's share was only 3 percent. This shift in resources 
is difficult to justify since the poorest countries have rural 
economies. When American aid is based on the recipient country's 
priorities, countries ask for agricultural support. More than half of 
all the funds committed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation to date 
are targeted toward agriculture and rural infrastructure.
  American foreign asistance requires a more balanced approach that 
recognizes food security as a necessary precondition for all successful 
development efforts. This is the moment when our country should reclaim 
its traditional leadership role in fighting global hunger. The stakes 
are too high for half-measures. There will be no peace, no justice, no 
progress in a hungry world.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this 
resolution recognizing the need to combat the global food crisis.
  Rising fuel prices and the effects of globalization exacerbate the 
problems related to the growing cost of food, causing populations of 
developing countries to experience great hardships in purchasing their 
basic necessities. This emergency has already affected millions and 
will increase the poverty levels endured by the most vulnerable groups 
worldwide. Children are especially susceptible to the effects of 
malnourishment, which weakens their immune systems, causing millions of 
children to suffer from infectious diseases, impaired brain 
development, and stunted growth.
  The dire situation of rising food prices has already led to unrest in 
some parts of the world. The U.N. has created a special task force and 
the World Food Program has called for $755 million in increased funding 
to cover the high costs of food and fuel. The United States must take 
an active role in coordinating international action through a world 
forum designed to determine what must be done to alleviate this crisis 
worldwide and protect the children and other vulnerable populations 
affected.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res 344, as 
amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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