The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“HONORING FNS UNDERSECRETARY KEVIN CONCANNON” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H306-H307 on Jan. 11, 2017.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING FNS UNDERSECRETARY KEVIN CONCANNON
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) for 5 minutes.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the incredible work of Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at the United States Department of Agriculture.
Kevin's dedication to public service is admirable. Throughout his distinguished career, Kevin has not only served in Federal Government, but he also led Health and Human Services departments in his home State of Maine and in Oregon and in Iowa. Kevin also helped to advance our knowledge of social policy as a graduate professor at several universities across our country.
Since 2009, Kevin has capably led FNS, the division of USDA responsible for administering and overseeing SNAP, the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, the Summer Food Service Program, WIC, The Emergency Food Assistance Program, and several other nutrition programs.
Under Kevin's leadership, we have made significant progress in ensuring our most vulnerable neighbors have healthy options to feed their families. He helped to spur a dramatic increase in the number of farmers markets accepting EBT cards, thereby allowing SNAP recipients greater access to fruits and vegetables while also supporting local farmers. He also oversaw the creation of USDA's Farm to School Program, an effort focused on incorporating local foods in our school meal programs.
During his tenure, we enacted the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, legislation that, for the first time in over 30 years, made much-needed improvements and increased access to our school meal programs.
Kevin oversaw our Nation's premier antihunger program, SNAP, as it provided millions of our neighbors with food assistance during the height of the Great Recession and the recovery that followed, and he has been a fearless advocate for the food and nutrition programs he oversees. When it comes to the nuances of SNAP or WIC or school meals, Kevin's knowledge and expertise is simply unmatched. He knows the issues impacting vulnerable families, and he is passionate about addressing hunger in this country.
Mr. Speaker, during the past several years, I have had the privilege to collaborate with and learn from Kevin as we worked to address hunger and food insecurity in the United States. I am particularly appreciative of the time he took away from his office in Washington to join me on two summer meal tours in my home State of Massachusetts. Together, we visited a number of schools, parks, camps, and community centers supported by USDA's Summer Food Service Program that ensures children and teens in low-income areas have access to healthy meals during the summer months.
I was always impressed by how he connected with my constituents and his passion for the work he does. He is, truly, a remarkable public servant, and he has made a real difference in the lives of millions and millions of people in this country.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for Under Secretary Concannon's efforts on so many levels, but I especially appreciate all he has done to try to end hunger in our country. There are too many people in the United States of America, the richest country in the history of the world, who are hungry; and, quite frankly, we could all do more in this Chamber.
Sadly, Congress too often in the past has voted in ways and advocated for policies that have actually made hunger worse in this country. In all candor, I am concerned about the future of some of these programs that provide food and nutrition to vulnerable citizens. I am concerned based on the rhetoric of leaders in this House of Representatives, and I am concerned by the rhetoric of the President-elect and his potential Cabinet. Time and time again, we have heard them talk about those in poverty with disdain and contempt. We have heard them denigrate the plight of those struggling in this country. We have heard them belittle their struggle. Quite frankly, that is unacceptable.
I urge my colleagues to learn from Kevin Concannon, to be inspired by his example, and to do what we can all do together to try to end hunger now.
I ask all of my colleagues to join me in recognizing his incredible accomplishments. We wish him well in his next chapter, but we will certainly miss his expertise and passion at FNS.
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