[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 157 (Wednesday, November 14, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11790-S11791]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HARKIN:
  S. 1683. A bill to amend the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to 
permit States to use administrative funds to pay costs relating to the 
processing, transporting, and distributing to eligible recipient 
agencies of donated wild game; to the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, since September 11 we have all seen the 
generous spirit of volunteerism in our communities. Americans have 
given blood, donated to soup kitchens and clothing drives, all in 
record numbers. Although this tragedy has heightened the levels of 
giving, Americans were helping each other through the tough times long 
before September 11. I rise today to recognize one type of program that 
is helping to feed families caught up in the economic downturn.
  Take Tim Powers. Tim lives in Lisbon, IA. During the week, he works 
hard at Whitetails Unlimited. but on the weekends, Tim runs a game 
donation program. First, Tim negotiates with local butchers for reduced 
rates on the meat processing. Then, he

[[Page S11791]]

reaches out to local hunting groups and lets them know they can donate 
their extra game to Iowa's soup kitchens. It is a great way to help 
those in need, it's all volunteer, and it makes sense. Similar programs 
have popped up across America, like Hunters for the Hungry, Farmers and 
Hunters Feeding the Hungry, and Sportsmen Against Hunger.
  Tim Powers and these organizations remind us all that hunting isn't 
simply a sport. It takes me back to my childhood in Cumming, IA. I was 
one of six kids and my father was a coal miner, so there were some hard 
times. Often, hunting helped to decide how well my family would eat. 
Believe me, that will motivate you to become a good shot. And we hunted 
just about anything that moved, not just deer but ducks, pheasants, and 
rabbits.
  But when we did have more than enough to feed the family, we shared 
it with the neighbors. It was the right thing to do. And today, Tim 
Powers and others are keeping that type of community spirit alive.
  These efforts are desperately needed. Buying meat is expensive and 
food banks are already stretched too thin. In 1997 alone, more than 26 
million Americans sought emergency food assistance. And the Department 
of Agriculture reports that during between 1996 and 1998 approximately 
10 million U.S. households did not have access to enough food to meet 
their basic needs.
  Game donation programs can make a difference in the fight against 
hunger. One of the only problems, however, is the cost of the meat 
processing. Tim Powers convinced his employer, Whitetails Unlimited, 
that this program needs their support. Once a year they sponsor a 
dinner to fundraise for him, last year he raised enough money to 
process about 50 deer. That is a miracle for the soup kitchens in Linn 
County and it can happen in other places as well. There are thousands 
of hunters who would like to do so much more, but the funds for 
processing always fall short.
  Time and again, hunters have shown that we enjoy the activity and 
we're happy to go out of our way if that activity also serves to 
provide meat for those who are less fortunate. The only catch is the 
cost of processing. I hear it again and again, local programs spring up 
but can't raise enough funds to sustain the cost of processing. With 
game donation programs in a community everybody wins. The meat goes 
from hunters in the area to needy families within the State, there is 
nothing more basic than a community taking care of its own. We need to 
do whatever we can to help sustain these local programs.
  That is why I am introducing the Hunters Help the Hungry Act. This 
legislation would authorize states to use administrative funds from the 
Emergency Food Assistance Program, TEFAP, to pay for the processing 
costs of donated wild game. TEFAP is a USDA food distribution program 
through which commodity foods are made available to the States. Food is 
then provided to food banks, soup kitchens, and food pantries for 
distribution to the public.
  In addition, my legislation would increase the authorization of TEFAP 
administrative funds from $50 million to $70 million. This increase is 
intended to cover the potential cost of game donation programs in every 
State, however, the legislation gives States the flexibility to use 
those funds for their current TEFAP programs, if they so choose.
  I want to stress this point: States would not be required to use any 
of the additional funds for the hunting-donation programs. My bill 
would simply provide them with the option and the flexibility to use a 
portion of their TEFAP administrative funds to process donated game. 
The remainder of the funds would cover traditionally allowable expenses 
like transportation and storage costs, and gleaning and other 
activities.
  In addition, the USDA Secretary would have the ability to place a cap 
on the percentage of administrative funds that could be used to process 
game meat. As always, the TEFAP program will continue to be primarily 
focused on commodities. My legislation would simply give States the 
flexibility to support local game donation programs as a part of their 
anti-hunger efforts.
  This legislation is rooted in basic common sense and traditional 
American values, values that America's hunters understand. Too often 
our hunters are only mentioned on the Senate floor when it comes time 
to debate a crime bill. Instead, my legislation thanks America's 
hunters and supports the good they do in our communities. I think it 
just makes sense, and I hope that my colleagues will support it.
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