Whereas food insecurity and hunger are a fact of life for
millions of low-income citizens of the United States and can produce physical,
mental, and social impairments;
Whereas recent data published by the Department of
Agriculture show that almost 38,200,000 people in the United States live in
households experiencing hunger or food insecurity;
Whereas the problem of hunger and food insecurity can be
found in rural, suburban, and urban portions of the United States, touching
nearly every community of the Nation;
Whereas, although substantial progress has been made in
reducing the incidence of hunger and food insecurity in the United States,
certain groups remain vulnerable to hunger and the negative effects of food
deprivation, including the working poor, the elderly, homeless people,
children, migrant workers, and Native Americans;
Whereas the people of the United States have a long
tradition of providing food assistance to hungry people through acts of private
generosity and public support programs;
Whereas the Federal Government provides essential
nutritional support to millions of low-income people through numerous Federal
food assistance programs, including—
(1)the Federal food
stamp program, as established by the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et
seq.);
(2)the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), the special
supplemental program for women, infants, and children (WIC) established under
section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), and other child
nutrition programs; and
(3)food donation
programs;
Whereas there is a growing awareness of the important
public and private partnership role that community-based organizations,
institutions of faith, and charities provide in assisting hungry and
food-insecure people;
Whereas more than 50,000 local community-based
organizations rely on the support and efforts of more than 1,000,000 volunteers
to provide food assistance and services to millions of vulnerable people;
and
Whereas all citizens of the United States can help
participate in hunger relief efforts in their communities by—
(1)donating food and
money to such efforts;
(2)volunteering for
such efforts; and
(3)supporting public
policies aimed at reducing hunger: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)designates June
5, 2007, as National Hunger Awareness Day
;
(2)calls on the
people of the United States to observe National Hunger Awareness Day—
(A)with appropriate
ceremonies, volunteer activities, and other support for local anti-hunger
advocacy efforts and hunger relief charities, including food banks, food rescue
organizations, food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency shelters; and
(B)by continuing to
support programs and public policies that reduce hunger and food insecurity in
the United States; and
(3)authorizes the
offices of Senators Gordon H. Smith, Blanche L. Lincoln, Elizabeth Dole, and
Richard J. Durbin to collect donations of food during the period beginning May
7, 2007, and ending June 5, 2007, from concerned Members of Congress and staff
to assist families suffering from hunger and food insecurity in the Washington,
D.C., metropolitan area.