[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 206 (Monday, December 7, 2020)] [House] [Pages H6869-H6872] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] RECOGNIZING IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINED UNITED STATES LEADERSHIP TO ACCELERATING GLOBAL PROGRESS AGAINST MATERNAL AND CHILD MALNUTRITION Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 189) recognizing the importance of sustained United States leadership to accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition and supporting United States Agency for International Development's commitment to global nutrition through its multi-sectoral nutrition strategy, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 189 Whereas 151 million children under the age of 5 in the world--22 percent--are stunted, or chronically undernourished, and in countries highly affected by undernutrition, stunting affects 1 in every 3 children; Whereas wasting, or acute malnutrition, continues to threaten the lives of an estimated 7.5 percent or nearly 51 million children under the age of 5 globally, and more than 38 million children under the age of 5 are overweight; Whereas malnutrition directly or indirectly causes 45 percent of all deaths--2.6 million--of children under age 5 annually and puts those who survive at risk of impaired brain development, lower IQ, weakened immune systems, and greater risk of serious diseases; Whereas undernourished adolescent girls have impaired cognitive ability and productivity and their future babies are at increased risk for low birth weight and death; Whereas iron deficiency anemia, associated with undernutrition, contributes to 1 in 5 maternal deaths (or 20 percent of maternal mortality); Whereas poor maternal nutrition contributes to poor fetal development and low birth weight, and an estimated 60 to 80 percent of neonatal deaths occur in low birth weight babies; Whereas a large body of scientific evidence supports the benefits of improved breastfeeding practices on the short- term and long-term health and development of children and their mothers; Whereas a growing evidence base demonstrates that reducing maternal and child malnutrition, especially in the critical 1,000 days between pregnancy and age 2, is imperative to ending preventable maternal and child deaths, improving cognitive and physical development, and strengthening children's immune systems to bolster resistance to disease; Whereas leading economists and Nobel Laureates have identified improving child nutrition as the most cost- effective way to enhance global health and development; Whereas the United States Agency for International Development's Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy's approach addresses both direct and underlying causes of malnutrition, and its focus on linking humanitarian assistance with development programming helps build resilience to shocks in vulnerable communities; Whereas malnutrition is a universal issue that no country in the world can afford to overlook, and countries with high burdens of malnutrition, including stunting, wasting, anemia, and micronutrient deficiency, will struggle to achieve sustainable and equitable economic growth; Whereas the United States plays a lead role supporting the goals of Scaling Up Nutrition, a global movement of 60 countries to prioritize nutrition, particularly during the 1,000-day window of opportunity between a mother's pregnancy and her child's second birthday, through effective policy and dedicated national resources; and Whereas the world has reduced undernutrition since 1990, yet global progress has been too slow to ensure each child can attain a full and prosperous future regardless of where he or she was born and at the current pace, the global community will not reach its global nutrition targets set for 2025: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) reaffirms that-- (A) food security and good nutrition in early childhood saves lives and lays the foundation for healthy physical and cognitive growth and development; (B) the potential benefit of good nutrition is life-long and influences a child's entire future, with entire communities and nations ultimately prospering; (C) the right nutrition helps children learn, helps protect them from illness, increases their productivity and earning potential, and supports the well-being and health of their future offspring; and (D) women who are well-nourished and do not suffer from anemia are less likely to die in childbirth and to give birth to children who are malnourished, breaking the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition; (2) reaffirms that-- (A) good nutrition is also an economic issue central to reducing poverty and putting countries on path to economic development; (B) adults who were well-nourished as children earn up to 46 percent more than those who were malnourished; (C) countries with a very high burden of early childhood malnutrition have lower economic growth rates due to lost income and productivity; and (D) the cost to nations is substantial with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) losses estimated between 3 to 16 percent with overall potential impacts to the global economy as high as $3.5 trillion per year; (3) supports United States leadership in helping developing countries meet the nutritional needs of women and children, and supports continued efforts; (4) supports United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) recognition that nutrition interventions are among the lifesaving interventions that can have the greatest impact in ending preventable child and maternal deaths; (5) supports the use of the USAID Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy, the United States Government Global Nutrition Coordination Plan, and the Global Food Security Strategy as platforms through which to help reach global nutrition targets by 2025, as agreed to at the World Health Assembly in 2012; (6) acknowledges the vision and goals of the Scaling Up Nutrition movement as a [[Page H6870]] global partnership to support country-led efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition involving governments, civil society, the United Nations, donors, businesses, and researchers; (7) acknowledges that progress against global malnutrition must be accelerated using innovative, scaled-up approaches to improve the systems that affect the nutritional status of women and children; and (8) calls for transformative efforts across sectors at USAID-- (A) to accelerate progress to end maternal and child malnutrition, including through Country Development Cooperation Strategies that align with country's national nutrition plans; and (B) to include improved and clear methods to track nutrition funding and outcomes across all United States Government global nutrition programs, especially those in global health, food security, agriculture, basic education, food assistance, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York. General Leave Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 189. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, malnutrition is a devastating crisis across the world with far-reaching effects. People cannot lead full, healthy, productive lives without access to food and proper nutrition, especially in the early stages of life. The impacts of malnutrition extend from health challenges like child stunting and infant mortality to reduced economic productivity that can keep communities and countries from achieving greater prosperity. {time} 1245 That is why we cannot afford to have our international development programs look at malnutrition as an isolated problem. To tackle this crisis, particularly as we continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, we also have to address related economic, educational, health, and social issues. This good resolution, authored by Representative Marshall, outlines the importance of continued American leadership in the fight against global malnutrition and underscores the significance of USAID's work on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support it, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, all of us in this Chamber probably grew up with a mother telling us to eat our vegetables. As a father myself, I have very strong memories of chasing several of my children around the house, trying to get healthy food into their mouths. That is because, as we know, a child's growth and development is severely impacted when they don't have proper nutrition. Unfortunately, today, over 151 million children under the age of 5-- babies, really--suffer from chronic malnutrition. That is truly a shocking and disturbing number. Over the last three decades, there has been important progress to reduce chronic malnutrition around the world, but, clearly, much more must be done. That is why I am proud to be here today to offer my support for this resolution, introduced by the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall), which calls for increased efforts to end maternal and child malnutrition. The United States has always been a leader when it comes to addressing maternal and child malnutrition. We must continue our leadership role in this important endeavor. The USAID multi-sectoral nutrition strategy is an important effort to ensure that nutrition interventions are effective in reaching the most vulnerable populations. I want to thank the chairman, and I want to thank my colleagues, Representatives Marshall and McGovern, for leading this important resolution and bringing this to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, malnutrition around the world devastates the lives of millions of people and prevents communities from prospering. This problem has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, putting years of work on nutrition at risk. It is critical that the United States work to make even greater progress on this major humanitarian and developmental challenge. This resolution reaffirms the importance of American leadership in that mission. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support it, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall), the sponsor of this resolution. Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, as a physician and obstetrician, I represent one of the largest agriculture-producing districts in the country. I am proud to help lead H. Res. 189, a critical resolution addressing the health and development of children around the world and a role the United States must continue to play to improve maternal and child nutrition. Every year, malnutrition accounts for half of all deaths among children under the age of 5. Nearly a quarter of the world's children are stunted, both physically and mentally, due to malnutrition. This leads to long-term poor health and impaired brain development. Mr. Speaker, food is medicine. The 1,000 days stretching from conception, from the start of a mother's pregnancy, until the child turns 2, is critical to increasing child survival, strengthening the immune system to bolster disease resistance, and improving the child's ability to grow, learn, and live to their fullest potential. Investments that focus on the first year of a child's life are among the best and most cost-effective investments that can be made to help achieve lasting progress in global health, economic prosperity, and development. The USDA and the USAID oversee America's longstanding commitment to reducing hunger and improving global food security. Our international feeding programs originated in my home State of Kansas, in Cheyenne County, when a group of farmers presented the idea of distributing food, rather than just funding, to countries to help their populations thrive. Programs like the USAID's Food for Peace and USDA's McGovern-Dole Food for Education provide basic humanitarian aid to families, women, and children worldwide and help our farmers and ranchers reach more markets for the high-quality commodities they produce. The U.S. exports about $140 billion worth of agricultural products each year, thanks to the hard work of farmers and their partnership with USDA and USAID. Not only are U.S. investments in nutrition efficient and effective, but U.S. nutrition programs also leverage other investments in foreign assistance, increasing the impact on improving health globally, which can lead to countries lessening their dependence on foreign aid and thriving economically. However, the COVID-19 outbreak threatens achievements made by many USDA and USAID programs due to restrictions to supply chains that are stressing food markets and placing people suffering from hunger on the brink of starvation. The cost of malnutrition to the global economy is estimated to be $3.5 trillion in healthcare costs and lost productivity every year, and COVID-19 is only making it more challenging to address. Fortunately, help is on the way. This week, we hope the FDA will approve and review the emergency use authorization for vaccine candidates. Meanwhile, we have all got work to do. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the committee and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), my good friend, and our 154 cosponsors for bringing our resolution to the House floor. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the author of this important resolution and the co-chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. [[Page H6871]] Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank Mr. Engel for his incredible service, not only to this Nation, but to the world. Mr. Engel has been a champion for human rights, for diplomacy, and for all things good. This institution is a better place because he has served here. There are countless people around the world who are safe because of his advocacy on their behalf when they have been unjustly imprisoned or targeted unjustly. I want him to know how much I admire him and how much I appreciate his service. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 189, introduced by my good friend and colleague, Congressman Roger Marshall, and me, in support of U.S. leadership and USAID's commitment to advancing global maternal and child nutrition. I am very proud that this bill has 154 cosponsors, which is a strong statement of support for continuing U.S. leadership. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Congressman Marshall on moving on to the Senate next year. I hope we will continue our bipartisan partnership to ending hunger here at home and around the world. He has been a valuable member of the House Hunger Caucus. In case he doesn't already know it, there is a similar caucus over in the Senate. Mr. Speaker, the world has made impressive progress on improving nutrition in the past decade, thanks in part to strong U.S. leadership and a bipartisan commitment here in Congress to address these issues. The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse all of the world's hard-won nutrition gains and leave an entire generation in danger of being seriously mentally, emotionally, and physically impaired. In a world where we produce enough food to feed everyone, 821 million people, 1 in 9, still go to bed on an empty stomach each night. Even more, one in three, suffer from some form of malnutrition. Based on current trends, this number is set to rise to one in every two by 2025. Eradicating hunger and malnutrition is surely one of the great challenges of our time. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world risks backsliding even more on nutrition. In July, The Lancet published an article with estimates showing that wasting among malnourished children could rise by 14.3 percent if we do not act now. This would translate to an estimated additional 6.7 million wasted children during the first 12 months of the pandemic and more than 10,000 additional child deaths per month during this same period. According to the World Health Organization, 52 percent of the world's nations have reported disruptions in health and nutrition services for sick and malnourished children. But there is always hope, Mr. Speaker, to change the course of these trends. We are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and the U.N. Decade of Action on Nutrition, 2016 to 2025. This gives us a historic opportunity to adapt, reimagine, and invest more in the fight against child and maternal malnutrition. H. Res. 189 recognizes the importance of these challenges and the need for continued U.S. leadership. The resolution urges USAID to fully implement the multi-sectoral nutrition strategy to improve global nutrition. I am sure that I speak for all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle that we all support strengthening U.S. efforts to protect women and children from malnutrition and related deaths. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 189 on global nutrition. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to thank organizations like Bread for the World, the Eleanor Crook Foundation, Catholic Relief Services, and many others around the world. These are the people who implement and advocate for these critical nutrition interventions. As the world grapples with the impact of COVID-19, it is more important than ever that we ramp up our fight to end chronic malnutrition. I have been proud to support this critical work, including advocating for nutrition programs in annual appropriations bills. I look forward to continuing to support these efforts. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 189 is a very important resolution. I support it and encourage my colleagues to do so as well. I think that both sides of the aisle understand how important this is, and it is good to see us working together. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior Member of the House of Representatives and the founding chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I rise in strong support of this bipartisan resolution, H. Res. 189, ``Recognizing the importance of sustained United States leadership to accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition and supporting United States Agency for International Development's commitment to global nutrition through its multisectoral nutrition strategy.'' First and foremost, I would like to recognize and thank Congressmen Roger Marshall and Jim McGovern for their leadership on this vital resolution. By passing H. Res. 189 today, we are committing ourselves to improving the health of women and children in impoverished areas, helping prevent illness, and improving economic conditions in poorer countries. With that in mind, I wish to commend the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) maternal and child nutrition programs that seek to improve health outcomes by implementing nutrition-specific interventions, or those that address the immediate, health-related determinants of undernutrition. These critical investments are closely coordinated with USAID's nutrition-sensitive interventions that address underlying or systemic causes of inadequate nutrition, such as education, water, sanitation, and hygiene, agriculture, as well as the healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy. It is no secret that poverty amplifies the risk of, and risks from, malnutrition. People who are poor are more likely to be affected by different forms of malnutrition. Furthermore, malnutrition increases health care costs, reduces productivity, and slows economic growth, which can perpetuate a cycle of poverty and ill-health. Malnutrition can have several negative and deadly effects such as decreased cognitive development in newborns, greater vulnerability to disease and other issues. Women, infants, children, and adolescents are at particular risk of malnutrition. Optimizing nutrition early in life, especially from the 1,000 days from conception to a child's second birthday ensures the best possible start in life, with long-term benefits. For example, adults who were not malnourished as children earn nearly 46 percent more than their counterparts, as stated in the resolution. According to UNICEF, nearly half of all deaths in children under 5 are attributable to undernutrition. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I stood here today without addressing the global impact of COVID-19 on malnutrition. Today, the significant and life-altering shocks created by the pandemic and the necessary containment measures have meant that more vulnerable children are facing malnourishment, as efforts to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 have resulted in the disruption of food systems, thereby upending health and nutrition services, devastating livelihoods, as well as threatening food security. As of July 2020, an estimated 370 million children were missing school meals, which have been directly tied to improving students' health and nutrition while also helping them develop good eating habits. Recent estimates from UNICEF indicate that in addition to the 690 million undernourished people in 2019, at least another 83 million people, and possibly as many as 132 million, may go hungry in 2020. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is needed now more than ever, and I am proud to be here and voice my support for it. I urge all Members on both sides of the aisle to join me in voting for H. Res. 189, ``Recognizing the importance of sustained United States leadership to accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition and supporting United States Agency for International Development's commitment to global nutrition through its multi-sectoral nutrition strategy.'' The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 189, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to. The title of the resolution was amended so as to read: ``A resolution [[Page H6872]] supporting sustained United States leadership to accelerating global progress against maternal and child malnutrition and supporting United States Agency for International Development's commitment to global nutrition through its multi-sectoral nutrition strategy.''. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________