Bob Dole: “for the past 3 years I have come to the Senate floor on National Hunger Awareness Day to help raise concerns about the…”

“for the past 3 years I have come to the Senate floor on National Hunger Awareness Day to help raise concerns about the far too prevalent problem of hunger, both here in the United States and around the world. In fact, as a freshman Senator, I delivered my maiden speech on this topic and have since made it one of my top priorities in the Senate. Two years ago on Hunger Awareness Day, Senators Smith, Durbin, Lincoln, and I launched the Senate Hunger Caucus, with the express purpose of providing a forum for Senators and staff to focus on national and international hunger and food insecurity issues. Today we have 37 Members dedicated to this cause. I have stated repeatedly that the battle against hunger can't be won in a matter of months or even a few years, but it is a victory that we can certainly claim if we continue to make the issue a top priority. It is truly astounding that 34 million of our fellow citizens go hungry or are living on the edge of hunger each and every day. In my home State of North Carolina, nearly 1 million of--our 8.6 million residents are dealing with hunger. Our state has faced significant economic hardship over the last few years, as once-thriving towns have been hit hard by the closing of textile mills and furniture factories. I know this story is not unlike so many others across the Nation.…”