Nearly 50 U.S. senators and representatives united for an evening of friendly culinary competition at the 35th Annual March of Dimes Gourmet Gala, held May 23 at the National Building Museum. The celebrity chefs served their favorite recipes to the over 600 attendees while helping to raise $1,123,000 for March of Dimes programs and research. Special guests included Sen. Tom Cotton (R Ark.) and Anna Cotton, who shared the story of their son’s Daniel’s birth and two week stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The Judge’s Choice award went to Sen. John Barrasso (R Wyo.) and Bobbi Barrasso for their Roosevelt beans; People’s Choice went to Sen. Roy Blunt (R Mo.) and Abigail Blunt for their pan seared scallops with wilted spinach, bacon jam and spiced pecans; while Healthiest Recipe went to Sen. Mazie Hirono (D Haiwaii) and her husband Leighton Kim Oshima for their kimchi recipe. The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. Premature birth is the number one killer of babies. Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide, and 1 million will die before their first birthday. almost 7 years in Washington Diplomat