Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today I wish to recognize and congratulate Kevin Concannon on his retirement and distinguished career. The fact that Kevin Concannon retired is not news--he has done that several times before, and each time, he moved onto more exciting and challenging positions. In 2016 Kevin Concannon retired from the USDA as the Undersecretary of Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services after 8 years of service. Kevin is a tireless advocate of people--all people. His work to assure that every effort was made to address hunger in this country is an indicator of his compassion, understanding of both the issues and solutions, and his unwavering faith in the ability of this great country to care for those who are struggling--whether it is food insecurity or earlier in his career on mental health issues, long-term care, and child welfare. At USDA, Kevin worked tirelessly to increase options for SNAP beneficiaries to access fresh local foods at Farmers Markets; he was determined that children should have more access to nutritious foods in WIC, schools, and childcare. While Kevin and I agree on that goal, I must add that, as a native Mainer, Kevin may have missed the mark on where white potatoes fit into those meal plans. Kevin Concannon came to USDA with an amazingly broad spectrum of experience. From 1987 to 1995, he served as the director of Oregon Department of Human Resources; after having served commissioner of Maine Department of Mental Health and Corrections.…”