End Hunger Now

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, this holiday season, I am thankful for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts for once again organizing a 43-mile march through Western Massachusetts to raise awareness about hunger and fundraise for families in need.

I am proud to announce that this year's march, the 14th annual, raised $500,000. I couldn't be more grateful to all the marchers, fundraisers, and community organizers who made this happen.

I was so proud to join them on November 20 and 21 as we walked sunup to sundown, traveling from Springfield to Greenfield. We stopped at crucial community centers that work hard to feed anyone who is hungry.

A huge thank you to our fearless leader, radio personality Monte Belmonte, who has been the inspiration for the march for the past 14 years. He pushed an empty shopping cart all 43 miles and stopped to pose with roaring crowds every chance he could. He is a true local icon and hero.

We were joined by dozens of hunger advocates who marched on against freezing Massachusetts winds but kept their heads up the whole way. We were fed by the brand-new Holyoke Culinary Arts food truck, Wake the Dead Donuts, Berkshire Brewing, Richardson's Candy, and, finally, a hot meal from pay-what-you-can Stone Soup Cafe. Of course, there were countless volunteers who made sure we had plenty of Dunkin'.

We peeked into community action centers like Lorraine's Soup Kitchen in Chicopee, Kate's Kitchen of Holyoke, and Amherst Survival Center.

I also thank the rest stops set up by the MLK Family Services Center, Fame of Holyoke, the WRSI and NEPM radio stations, Adventure East, Hawks and Reed, and Home Depot.

I thank Congressman Richie Neal for joining us at the kickoff. I thank Congressman Joe Kennedy for keeping me company for several hours on Route 116, and Governor Maura Healey for being the first-ever Governor to join this incredible event.

I was proud of the many State legislators who joined the march, including State senators, Jo Comerford and Jake Olivera; and representatives Natalie Blais, Mindy Domb, Dan Carey, and Lindsay Sabadosa.

Special thanks to Andrew Morehouse, the executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts; Tim Garvin with the United Way; the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Dave; Jamie Hoag, and the amazing staff at Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office, who marched with us; as well as District Attorney Dave Sullivan, and so many more.

Although the march was hard, we all know being hungry is harder. Across the country, 44 million people are food insecure. In Massachusetts, one in five families don't have reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. That is a disgrace.

As I say every week on this floor, hunger is a political condition.

In this Congress, we have seen House Republicans attack antihunger programs every chance they get, from advocating for onerous--and let me just say, ineffective--work requirements, to slashing programs that feed hungry moms, infants, and children. It appears this extreme MAGA majority will stop at nothing to turn the clock back on the progress we have made to fight hunger.

That is why the March for the Food Bank in Western Massachusetts is so critical. It is a display of care and generosity, in spite of the fact that some here in Washington are hell-bent on taking food from people who need it most.

With the half a million dollars that these volunteers raise, the food bank will serve 1.5 million meals, but charity alone will not address the root causes that plunge people into hunger.

Food banks are a Band-Aid, but we in Congress should be pressing for deeper, enduring solutions. People shouldn't have to turn to a food bank every month. They should just have enough money to be able to buy groceries.

Programs like SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, keep hardworking families from having to choose between buying food and paying rent. SNAP gives participants the dignity of shopping for their own food.

We ought to fund, not cut, these programs. By the way, even if you don't agree with me that ending hunger is a moral imperative, you ought to still get on board because it saves us money in the long run.

SNAP lifted 2.8 million Americans out of poverty in 2021 and can generate almost double the economic output for each dollar invested in it.

Why do so many on the other side insist on cutting it every chance they get?

Let us instead choose to invest in SNAP, in WIC, and in our whole antihunger safety net. Instead of cutting services for those in need, we need to invest in our people, in our communities, and in our country.

We can end hunger now. What we need is the political will, and the people who marched with me on November 20 and 21 have the political will. They are counting on us here in Congress to live up to the promise of our country and make sure that nobody, absolutely nobody goes hungry.

If we do that, we can end hunger now.

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