King Celebrates Creation of Dr. Borlaug Statue for US Capitol

Washington, DC- Congressman Steve King released the following statement after participating in a press conference to honor Dr. Norman Borlaug today at the Iowa State Historical Museum. Dr. Borlaug, an agronomist, received the Nobel Peace Prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal for his tremendous contributions to increasing food stability.  In 2011, the Iowa legislature approved a resolution directing a statue of Dr. Borlaug to be created and placed in the United States Capitol to honor his impact on Iowa and the world. Sculptor Benjamin Victor was chosen by the Borlaug Statue Committee to create the statue which is scheduled to be placed in the Capitol next year.

"It is an honor to commemorate what would have been the 99th birthday of a great Iowan who is responsible for saving as many as a billion people from starvation," said King. "Dr. Norman Borlaug is a hero for Iowans, but also for America and the world, because he stuck by his ideas when faced with extreme adversity. I look forward to showing my constituents the statue when it is placed in the Capitol, and expressing to them the great insight that this man had to solve this problem facing the world. He was an inspiration to me when I met him, and his story will soon serve as an inspiration to all who visit the Capitol."