U.S. House of Representatives Adopts Rep. Mann’s McGovern-Dole 20th Anniversary Resolution

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) released the following statement celebrating the adoption H. Res. 1156, Honoring the 20th Anniversary of the George McGovern-Robert Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program helps support education, child development, and food security in food-deficit countries around the globe. The Program provides for the donation of U.S. agricultural commodities to support school feeding projects and is named in part after Kansas legend, the late Senator Robert “Bob” Dole.

“There’s a reason that both commodity groups and humanitarian organizations support the George McGovern-Robert Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program,” said Rep. Mann. “Whether it’s wheat and sorghum from Kansas, red beans from Louisiana, or peanut butter formula made from Georgia peanuts, American commodities and the men and women who produce them are vital to the Program’s success. This resolution celebrates the Program’s twenty years of keeping kids fed and learning, and thanks American farmers and agricultural producers who provide the commodities required for it to function. I am grateful for Representative Jim McGovern’s consistent work on this issue and am pleased that the House passed our resolution by unanimous consent.”

“McGovern-Dole represents the very best of this country,” said Rep. McGovern. “I’ve visited places like Colombia and Kenya and saw its impact firsthand, reducing hunger and increasing school enrollments, attendance, literacy, and the support of families and communities for education, especially for girls. It is an important example of what can be accomplished when Members of Congress put partisanship aside and make the welfare of children and families their number one priority and sends a powerful message to the world about who we are and what we stand for.”

“Over the past 20 years, the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program has been a ray of light and hope providing children in fragile regions with an education and possibly their only meal of the day,“ said Craig Meeker, National Sorghum Producers Chairman. “As sustainably produced U.S. sorghum continues to play a key role in providing healthy nutrition to children all over the world, NSP applauds Congressman Mann and Congressman McGovern for their bipartisan resolution commemorating two decades of success of McGovern-Dole.”

“National Association of Wheat Growers thanks Congressman Jim McGovern and Tracey Mann for their bipartisan work and successful passage of their resolution yesterday honoring the 20th anniversary of the George McGovern-Robert Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, which has played an important role in the United States’ commitment to ending hunger,” said Nicole Berg, NAWG President and Washington wheat farmer. “Wheat farmers take pride in being a safe and reliable source of nutritional food that helps food-insecure parts of the world, and we applaud Congress for their bipartisan support in recognizing this important milestone.”

World Food Program USA also supports the resolution and released the following statement commending its passage:

"World Food Program USA commends the passage of H.Res.1156, a House bill ‘expressing the commitment of the House of Representatives to building on the 20 years of success of the George McGovern-Robert Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.’ World Food Program USA extends sincere gratitude to the original co-sponsors of this bill, Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Tracey Mann (R-KS), as well as the 83 other sponsoring members of the United States House of Representatives."

Click here to read more about the resolution.

Representative Mann is the representative in Congress for the First Congressional District of Kansas. The Big First is home to 60,000 farms and ranches and is the third-largest agriculture production district in the country. Representative Mann proudly serves on the House Agriculture Committee, the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, and is a member of the Congressional Hunger Caucus.

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