OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Funding Food Aid for Malnutrition

Floor Speech

Date: May 7, 2025
Location: Washington, DC

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Ms. JACOBS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Magaziner for championing this issue and fighting to address the malnutrition of millions of children around the world.

Every year, about 45 million young children worldwide suffer from severe malnutrition. That is about one in every three children under 5 years old. Tragically, about 1 to 2 million of those children will die.

Nutrition during that time is incredibly important for long-term development. It is what powers kids to grow taller, get stronger, develop their brains, and have a stronger immune system. If kids don't get the nutrition they need during this time, it literally has generational consequences.

Thankfully, as Congressman Magaziner has highlighted, we have a proven treatment to save the lives of malnourished children: ready-to- use therapeutic food, or RUTF. RUTF is the go-to treatment for malnutrition in hard-to-reach areas and emergencies because it doesn't require refrigeration, preparation, or any training to deliver. It is nutrient rich, delivering essential nutrients and calories so people can recover from malnutrition quickly.

Mr. Speaker, I worked at UNICEF. I have seen firsthand the power of these lifesaving treatments. I have seen that they work. I have seen how fast kids can bounce back and recover. I have seen that U.S. funding and U.S. assistance makes a difference.

Unfortunately, President Trump has eliminated countless assistance programs that have kept children alive. His administration hasn't placed new orders for RUTF at Edesia Nutrition in Rhode Island, causing production to almost stop.

We already knew that the promises of waivers for emergency food assistance were lies, and now we have further proof. Starving children shouldn't be political pawns, and their futures shouldn't be toyed with.

Here is my message to the Trump administration: Do the right thing. Restore funding for emergency food assistance and help save the lives of children around the world.

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