For Immediate Release
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CONGRESSIONAL HUNGER CENTER PRESENTS KOHL WITH “MICKEY LELAND HUNGER LEADER” AWARD

Kohl receives award for work combating hunger and poverty 

WASHINGTON   Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) was presented the Congressional Hunger Center’s “Mickey Leland Hunger Leader” award for his work combating hunger and poverty worldwide. The award was named after Mickey Leland, a former Congressman from Texas, who dedicated his life to eradicating hunger. It was presented by Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO).

“No one should have to go a day without adequate food and proper nutrition,” Kohl said. “I am honored to receive this award and will continue working to ensure that all people have access to safe food in an effort to continue the fight against global hunger.”  

Kohl is Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations panel with jurisdiction over the country’s two major international food relief programs, PL480 and the McGovern-Dole program for child nutrition.   

Kohl is working toward a coordinated, government-wide application of public and private resources to combat global hunger in a sustainable way and in a manner that promotes the U.S. national security agenda.   He continues to emphasize that U.S. agriculture and USDA programs can make contributions to this effort through long-standing relationships with the nation's land grant university network and other partners. 

Domestically, Senator Kohl has worked to increase funding for the WIC program to keep up with increasing food costs. He worked to restore funding for the Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSPF) which the Bush Administration proposed to eliminate.  Kohl also pushed for enhancements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the 2008 Farm Bill.

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