[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 83 (Monday, June 9, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1173]]

                NATIONAL HUNGER AWARENESS DAY RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 9, 2003

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, today, Mr. McGovern and I introduced a 
resolution to help draw attention to the 33 million hungry Americans. 
The resolution recognizes organizations such as America's Second 
Harvest that provide emergency food assistance to hungry people in the 
United States, and encourages all Americans to provide volunteer 
services 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.
  On National Hunger Awareness Day I have mixed emotions. I am proud of 
the armies of compassion that are represented by organizations such as 
America's Second Harvest. But I'm also sad because its been nearly 40 
years since President Johnson declared war on poverty and hunger and 
yet, today, 13 million kids STILL live in households that do not have 
an adequate supply of food. (USDA)
  In 2001, there were 33.6 million Americans--20 million adults and 13 
million children--who were hungry or at risk of hunger. (USDA) In 
Matthew 25, Jesus talks about the obligation to feed the hungry. In a 
world, and especially a nation, as plentiful as ours, it is tragic that 
even one child is hungry.
  My state of Virginia is better off than many states. We are below the 
national average poverty rate of 11.6 percent. We have fewer people who 
don't have food--7.6 percent versus the national average of 10.4 
percent.
  Yet, hunger is still rampant here. 294,434 children, or 43.4 percent, 
received free or reduced-price meals.
  Substantial progress has been made to feed the hungry in the United 
States, yet too many Americans still go to bed hungry and feel the 
effects of food deprivation. Federal programs like the Food Stamp 
Program, child nutrition programs, and food donation programs, provide 
essential nutritional support to millions of low-income people, but the 
need remains. Thankfully, community- and faith-based institutions are 
providing assistance to hungry people across the country.
  The armies of compassion are working hard, but we each must do our 
part to join in and support them. Barriers need to be eliminated to 
allow businesses to do the morally conscionable thing and donate their 
surplus food. It's outrageous that it is more ``cost effective'' for a 
business to throw out or destroy surplus food rather than donate it to 
a local soup kitchen. A White House conference on hunger, like the one 
my colleague Senator Dole called for just this morning, would be an 
ideal venue to discuss these important issues.
  I hope that in the midst of the facts and statistics, no one misses 
the REAL point of National Hunger Awareness Day--that in a land of 
plenty, 13 million children still go to bed hungry. A country which is 
as blessed as ours needs to do better.

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