Prepared Testimony by Senator Bob Dole

Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and

Forestry Committee

July 27, 2000

MR. CHAIRMAN, SENATOR HARKIN, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS. IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING TO ADDRESS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC IN THE COMPANY OF MY GOOD FRIEND, GEORGE MCGOVERN. WITH REGARD TO A UNIVERSAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, THE HUNGRY CHILDREN OF THE WORLD COULD NOT HAVE A BETTER CHAMPION THAN GEORGE MCGOVERN.

MY COMMENTS THIS MORNING WILL BE BRIEF AS I WILL LET EXPERTS LIKE GEORGE AND SECRETARY DAN GLICKMAN APPRISE YOU OF THE RELEVANT DETAILS - BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION SEVERAL POINTS OF CONCERN. FIRST OF ALL, FROM PURELY A HUMANITARIAN POINT OF VIEW, A UNIVERSAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM MAKES GREAT SENSE FOR THE UNITED STATES. THE GREATEST GIFT ANYONE CAN GIVE IS LIFE, AND WE HAVE IT IN OUR POWER TO HELP 300 MILLION CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD, NOT ONLY SURVIVE, BUT GIVE THEM THE CHANCE AT A BETTER LIFE BECAUSE OF OUR KINDNESS. 300 MILLION. THE TRAGIC IMMENSITY OF THAT NUMBER SHOULD SADDEN US ALL.

ANOTHER WONDERFUL BENEFIT OF A UNIVERSAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM IS THAT IT HELPS GET THESE MILLIONS OF HUNGRY AND DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL. THE PROMISE OF A MEAL, IN MANY CASES, THE PROMISE OF LIFE, WILL BRING CHILDREN TO SCHOOL THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT OR COULD NOT ATTEND. AND ONCE THE EDUCATORS HAVE THEM, GREAT THINGS BECOME POSSIBLE.

IF WE CHOOSE TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM FROM A UNITED STATES AGRICULTURE POINT OF VIEW, THEN A UNIVERSAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM ALSO MAKES GREAT SENSE FOR OUR NATION AND OUR FARMERS. THE U.S. LEADS THE WORLD AS A FARM SURPLUS NATION, AND I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM THAN TO SUPPORT A PROGRAM THAT WILL HELP OUR FARMERS WHILE PUTTING FOOD IN THE STOMACHS OF DESPERATELY HUNGRY AND MALNOURISHED CHILDREN.

FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES NOW, I HAVE WORKED WITH GEORGE MCGOVERN AND OTHERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT HELP FEED THE DISADVANTAGED OF OUR COUNTRY, WHILE ALSO GIVING THEM INFORMATION ON NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES TO BETTER HELP THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. CAN WE NOT WORK TOGETHER TO DO SOME OF THE SAME THINGS FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD?

MY EXPERIENCES IN LIFE HAVE TAUGHT ME THAT THE GENEROSITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOWS NO BOUNDS, AND WHEN THEY LEARN THE SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM, THEY WILL MOST CERTAINLY WANT OUR NATION TO TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE.

I WOULD ALSO COMMEND THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION FOR LAUNCHING THE $300 MILLION SCHOOL FEEDING PILOT PROGRAM THAT SEEKS TO FEED HUNGRY CHILDREN THE WORLD OVER, WHILE ALSO GIVING THEM A CHANCE AT BASIC EDUCATION, AND CATHERINE BERTINI, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM, FOR HER OUTSTANDING WORK. HUNGER AMONG CHILDREN IS A BIPARTISAN PROBLEM THAT WILL ONLY BE SOLVED WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND A LOT OF PATIENCE.

THIS EFFORT WILL TAKE TIME AND MONEY AS WELL AS THE COOPERATION OF OTHER COUNTRIES. I WOULD SUGGEST, IN FAIRNESS TO THE COMMITTEE, WE WORK TOGETHER TO DETERMINE HOW TO PAY FOR ANY NEW PROGRAMS.

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