Political Quotes

“I rise today to speak on behalf of the over 50 million people, including over 17 million children in the United States, who face the day not knowing if they will have enough to eat. Millions of families live each day not knowing if and how they will put food on the table. Rather than thinking about what the next meal will be, these parents worry if there will be a next meal. Rather than concentrate on homework, these children are trying not to think about their hunger pangs. According to the USDA in 2010, 14.5 percent of households--or 1 in 6 Americans--experienced hunger. This is the highest level of hunger in our Nation since the government began tracking food insecurity in 1995. No State or county is immune to the reality of hunger. In Illinois' three wealthiest congressional districts an average of 13.2 percent of people--or nearly 281,000 people--experienced hunger in 2009. Hunger is a reality in all of our communities. We see it in the long lines at our food pantries. We have heard from seniors forced to choose between groceries and medication. And children are in our schools who have not had a decent meal since the previous day's school lunch. The U.S. Census Bureau reported this month that more than 1.82 million people lived in poverty in Illinois last year. That's up from 1.69 million in 2009--making 2010 the third straight year the poverty rate in Illinois has risen.…”