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
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2022-12-13

. Madam , I rise in support of H. Res. 1156, 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. prgtoken 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. prgtoken In 2017, there were 821 million people worldwide experiencing hunger. That is one in every nine people. prgtoken 66 million children are experiencing hunger worldwide every day. One in six children are food insecure. prgtoken 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. prgtoken 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% of Houston's households. prgtoken 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. prgtoken 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. prgtoken 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. prgtoken Children who experience food insecurity grow into adults with health complications that emerged from the lack of food. prgtoken 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. prgtoken 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. prgtoken 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. prgtoken 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 warfa