End Hunger Now

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, after the 2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, Democrats, led by Speaker Pelosi and President Biden, established a program to provide eligible families $120 per child over the summer for nutritious food.

I thank Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean for standing up the new summer EBT program.

Thirty-five States, including my own State, Massachusetts, five territories, and four Tribes signed up to participate in 2024, helping 21 million kids across the country.

I hope that the States that are working with the USDA to adopt programs in 2025 keep at it. Hungry kids are counting on them.

To the Republican Governors who rejected this program, like Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who said it ``does nothing to promote nutrition,'' or Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, who said, ``I don't believe in welfare,'' oh my God, what the hell is wrong with these people, Mr. Speaker? I say to them: Shame on you for taking food from hungry kids.

Summer EBT will make a huge difference as we work to end hunger now.

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