Rev. Doyle Sager
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
I am writing to thank Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer for cosponsoring House Resolution 189, which will help strengthen the Unites States' commitment to global maternal and child nutrition. In these days of partisan wrangling, it is encouraging to see Democrats and Republicans come together to support the global nutrition resolution. I hope our senators, Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley, will cosponsor the Senate version, Senate Resolution 260.
Almost half of all child deaths worldwide are related to malnutrition - nearly 2.4 million preventable deaths of children under the age of 5 every year. The children who survive often suffer from irreversible damage to their physical and cognitive development. As they grow into adulthood, this damage leads to diminished productivity in the workforce, perpetuating an intergenerational cycle of poverty and hunger. As a follower of Christ, my faith calls me to stand alongside mothers and children and help break the cycle of hunger.
Thanks in part to U.S. leadership, the world has made significant progress on improving maternal and child nutrition, but we still have a long way to go. Strengthening the U.S. commitment to maternal and child nutrition will allow millions of children to reach their full potential, leading to greater economic and political stability. Thank you, Congressman Luetkemeyer.