[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 655 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 655

  Expressing support for the designation of June 7, 2012, as National 
                         Hunger Awareness Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 10, 2012

   Mr. Moran (for himself, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Deutch, Mr. 
   McGovern, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Ellison, Ms. 
Bordallo, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Sablan, Ms. Waters, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Woolsey, 
and Ms. Norton) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
          to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for the designation of June 7, 2012, as National 
                         Hunger Awareness Day.

Whereas food insecurity and hunger are facts of life for millions of individuals 
        in the United States and can produce physical, mental, and social 
        impairments;
Whereas recent data published by the Department of Agriculture show that 
        approximately 48,800,000 individuals in the United States live in 
        households experiencing hunger or food insecurity, and of that number, 
        32,600,000 are adults and 16,200,000 are children;
Whereas the Department of Agriculture data also show that households with 
        children experience nearly twice the rate of food insecurity as those 
        households without children;
Whereas 4.8 percent of all households in the United States (approximately 
        5,600,000 households) have accessed emergency food from a food pantry 
        one or more times;
Whereas the report entitled ``Household Food Security in the United States, 
        2010'' and published by the Economic Research Service of the Department 
        of Agriculture found that in 2010, the most recent year for which data 
        exist, that--

    (1) 14.5 percent of all households in the United States experienced 
food insecurity at some point during the year;

    (2) 20.2 percent of all households with children in the United States 
experienced food insecurity at some point during the year; and

    (3) 7.9 percent of all households with elderly individuals in the 
United States experienced food insecurity at some point during the year;

Whereas the problem of hunger and food insecurity can be found in rural, 
        suburban, and urban communities of the United States;
Whereas although substantial progress has been made in reducing the incidence of 
        hunger and food insecurity in the United States, many individuals in the 
        United States remain vulnerable to hunger and the negative effects of 
        food insecurity;
Whereas the people of the United States have a long tradition of providing food 
        assistance to hungry individuals through acts of private generosity and 
        public support programs;
Whereas the Federal Government provides nutritional support to millions of 
        individuals through numerous Federal food assistance programs 
        including--

    (1) the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);

    (2) the child nutrition program established under the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);

    (3) the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and 
children established by section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 
U.S.C. 1786);

    (4) the emergency food assistance program established under the 
Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501 et seq.); and

    (5) food donation programs;

Whereas there is a growing awareness of the important role that community-based 
        organizations, institutions of faith, and charities play in assisting 
        individuals experiencing hunger or food insecurity;
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;
Whereas all people of the United States can participate in hunger relief efforts 
        in their communities by donating food and money to hunger relief 
        efforts, volunteering for hunger relief efforts, and supporting public 
        policies aimed at reducing hunger; and
Whereas June 7, 2012 would be an appropriate date to designate as National 
        Hunger Awareness Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of National Hunger Awareness 
        Day; and
            (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.
                                 <all>