Expressing the Commitment of the House of RepMcresentatives to Building on the Twenty Years of Success of the George Govern-Robert Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan resolution. It expresses the commitment of this Chamber to build on the 20 years of success of the George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.

Its mission is simple: Reduce hunger and improve literacy and poverty. By providing countless school meals, the program helps improve child nutrition, maternal health, and access to quality education, particularly for girls. I was proud that the Appropriations Committee was able to include $265 million for this critical program this summer, the most in the program's history.

During its 20-year history, it has made a positive difference in the lives of more than 31 million children and families in 48 countries around the world.

During the pandemic, when school closures were commonplace, the McGovern-Dole Program quickly shifted from providing meals in schools to providing take-home options that distributed about 23,000 metric tons of commodities donated by the United States and 550 metric tons of locally procured commodities to more than 1.7 million children and families across 26 projects. These efforts ensured that children would continue receiving daily meals and, at its crux, they would not go hungry while they were learning at home.

Let us remain committed to not only carrying on the legacy of these giants--Ambassador McGovern and Senator Dole--but continue to follow the example that they set, working to tackle hunger and poverty around the world.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

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