Magaziner to Speak on House Floor Every Day Until Funding for Malnourished Children Is Restored

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02) announced that he will speak on the House floor every day the chamber is in session until federal funding for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), used to save the lives of malnourished children around the world, is restored. Edesia Nutrition, based in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, is one of two organizations in the United States that manufactures RUTF, along with MANA Nutrition in Fitzgerald, Georgia. The Trump Administration has halted all new orders of RUTF as part of its dismantling of USAID. 

Edesia-produced RUTF saves 5 million lives in more than 30 countries each year. Despite assurances from Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio that funding would be restored, it still has not been. 

Unlike Senators, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives cannot filibuster, but they are allowed to speak on the House floor for between one to five minutes each day – a right Magaziner plans to use until funding for RUTF is restored. 

Magaziner will use every opportunity to call attention to what he calls a "moral failure" by the Trump administration, that is costing the lives of innocent children every day that the funding for RUTF, including that manufactured at Edesia, is halted. 

He released the following statement: 

“Starting today, I will be taking to the floor of the House of Representatives on each day we are in session to speak out against the Trump administration’s failure to restore funding to save the lives of malnourished children around the world. I was elected to be a voice for Rhode Island’s Second District – and I intend to use my voice each and every day until this life saving aid is restored."

BACKGROUND:

Plumpy’Nut, a ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) is a nutrient-dense, life-saving paste, is one of the most effective methods of treating children with malnutrition. In the United States, USAID’s Office of Food for Peace, primarily through Title II emergency food assistance, has funded the manufacture and distribution of Plumpy'Nut to the developing world for decades.

Edesia is a nonprofit manufacturer in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, that produces more than 88 million pounds of Plumpy'Nut each year. Their products have treated malnutrition in infants and children across more than 65 countries, saving approximately 26 million lives since 2010.

Since the Trump Administration took office, Edesia has received no new orders from the federal government, causing production to nearly halt, despite assurances from Elon Musk and Secretary of State Rubio that funding for emergency food aid produced by Edesia will continue.

Magaziner vowed to keep pressing the issue on the House floor until federal funding for RUTF is reinstated.