I am writing to you today as Rep. Rick Nolan and his colleagues in Congress craft the federal government's budget for fiscal year 2017. As they do so, I encourage them to continue to protect cost-effective, life-saving programs that fight diseases like HIV/AIDS, tackle hunger, and help the world's poor pull themselves out of poverty for good-all for less than 1 percent of the federal budget. Studies show that investments in nutrition yield $16 for every dollar committed. Poor nutrition is responsible for nearly three million deaths a year, and nearly half of deaths of children under 5 globally can be attributed to malnutrition. One third of children in developing countries have stunted growth, a consequence of chronic nutritional deprivation that often begins in the womb if the mother is undernourished. Stunting is irreversible, and associated with impaired cognitive ability, leading to reduced school and work performance. Nutrition and nutritional education is key to ending this vicious cycle!
Optimal nutrition is fundamental to ending poverty and promoting resilient, democratic societies while advancing our national security and prosperity. So protecting these programs is not only the right, bipartisan thing to do, but is also good for our economy. The facts show extreme poverty has already been cut in half and can be virtually eliminated by 2030. We've come too far to turn back now. So please, Representative Nolan, remember these facts while creating the 2017 budget.
Maren Ortmeier
Brainerd
