[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 136 (Thursday, October 11, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S10652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FITZGERALD:
  S. 1540. A bill to extend and improve the emergency food assistance 
program; to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation 
to help food banks, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding 
organizations meet the needs of our hungry citizens.
  According to the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture 
estimates, 10.1 percent of U.S. households, 31 million Americans are 
considered food insecure. Under current law, the Emergency Food 
Assistance Program, TEFAP, purchases agricultural commodities for use 
by food banks and soup kitchens. Needy American citizens rely on this 
program to get them over the hump when they lose their jobs or fall on 
unexpected hard times. Yet, a recent report of the U.S. Conference of 
Mayors concluded that 13 percent of these families who requested 
emergency food assistance were turned away due to a lack of food 
resources.
  The bill I introduce today simply increases funding for TEFAP by $40 
million, a 40 percent increase. As well, the bill allows $10 million of 
this new funding to be used for state and local food processing, 
distribution, transportation, and storage costs. This $10 million 
enhances the $45 million already appropriated annually for these costs.
  Additionally, this bill has secondary benefits to our rural 
communities. TEFAP provides a boost to the agriculture economy by 
purchasing surplus commodities from the market.
  I commend Congressman Goodlatte of Virginia for championing a similar 
bill on the House side. I look forward to working closely with my 
colleagues on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and 
Forestry to ensure that this legislation is included in the Nutrition 
Title of the Farm Bill.
  The legislation is supported by America's Second Harvest and food 
banks and soup kitchens throughout the nation. This bill entitled the 
``Emergency Food Assistance Program Enhancement Act'' should enjoy 
bipartisan support, and I encourage my colleagues to co-sponsor this 
piece of legislation.
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