Food Emergency

Floor Speech

Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, today I wish to submit for the Record my remarks and a speech by Taiwan's top diplomat in Washington, Jason C. Yuan, of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, who announced on April 25, 2012, the donation by his government of 1,150 metric tons of rice to Kenya through Feed the Children, a well-known and respected charity based in my home State of Oklahoma.

The food emergency in the Horn of Africa is a stark humanitarian crisis and Kenya simply has not received enough rain to feed its people. Record-high food prices, internal conflicts, and insecurity in the region have exacerbated the situation. With malnutrition and disease on the rise, dane Kenyan families are required to travel long distances in search of food. It is evident that outside help must be provided.

The people of Taiwan are providing that help. Its generous gift will have an immediate impact on relieving the hardships brought on by this first drought of the 21st century.

Ronald Reagan once said that ``a hungry child knows no politics,'' meaning that the American people are always willing to open up their hearts and the blessings of their bounty to the less fortunate around the world. The people of Taiwan are doing the same thing today through this generous donation.

Some may say that this gracious donation of rice is a mere drop in the bucket compared to the overall need in Africa. Yet one must remember that every mighty wave starts with a tiny ripple.

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