[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 132 (Tuesday, October 18, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11478-S11482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mrs. Boxer, and Mr. Ensign):
  S. 1881. A bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint 
coins in commemoration of the Old Mint at San Francisco otherwise known 
as the ``Granite Lady'', and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President. I rise today to join my colleagues 
Senators Boxer and Ensign to introduce legislation to authorize the 
United States Mint to issue a commemorative coin that will honor the 
San Francisco Old Mint and help restore this historic building in 
downtown San Francisco.
  The San Francisco Old Mint Building is an important historical 
landmark for San Francisco, the State of California, and the United 
States.
  Beginning its operations in 1854, the Old Mint Building was 
established to take advantage of the plentiful gold and silver mined in 
the West during the California Gold Rush. At one point, more than half 
of the money minted in the United States came from the San Francisco 
Mint, and it once held a third of the Nation's gold supply.
  The Old Mint Building, located in the heart of the city, has been 
standing for more than 125 years as the oldest stone building in San 
Francisco.
  The Greek-revivalist design of the Old Mint Building was created by 
architect Alfred B. Mullet, who also designed the U.S. Treasury 
Building and the Old Executive Office Building in Washington, DC. The 
San Francisco Old Mint building is also listed on the National Register 
of Historic Places.
  Aided by its magnificent stone structure, the Old Mint Building was 
able to survive the terrible San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906. 
In fact, the Mint was the only financial institution that remained 
operable after the earthquake and the building was used as the treasury 
for the city's disaster relief funds.
  The San Francisco Old Mint Building minted coins until 1937 when the 
building became too small and its operations moved to a larger space 
elsewhere in San Francisco. In the years since then, the building has 
deteriorated.
  In 1994, the Bureau of the Mint closed the Old Mint because it could 
not afford the then-estimated $20 million seismic retrofit to bring the 
building up to code. Since 2003, the General Services Administration 
transferred ownership of the building to the City of San Francisco.
  The San Francisco Museum and Historical Society has proposed an 
exciting project to restore and rejuvenate the Old Mint Building in 
downtown San Francisco. A fine history museum supported by shops and a 
visitor's center will combine to make the building a striking and 
viable destination.
  The bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue 
100,000 $5 gold coins and 500,000 $1 silver coins emblematic of the San 
Francisco Old Mint Building and its importance to California and the 
United States.
  Proceeds generated from the sale of these commemorative coins will be 
paid to the San Francisco Museum and

[[Page S11479]]

Historical Society for the restoration of the Old Mint Building.
  The San Francisco Old Mint is venerated by coin collectors, 
Californians, and millions of Americans as a national treasure and I 
believe it is worthy of a commemorative coin.
  I believe honoring and restoring the San Francisco Old Mint building 
is an important historic preservation project.
  Next year will mark the 100th anniversary of the building's survival 
of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.
  No other mint has been commemorated and because issuance of these 
coins would make a vital contribution to preserving this national 
treasure, the San Francisco Old Mint merits commemoration at this time.
  I hope my colleagues will join me to support this legislation to help 
preserve and restore this majestic building and honor the important 
role it played in rebuilding the great ``City by the Bay''.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the legislation be printed 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1881

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``San Francisco Old Mint 
     Commemorative Coin Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The Granite Lady played an important role in the 
     history of the Nation.
       (2) The San Francisco Mint was established pursuant to an 
     Act of Congress of July 3, 1852, to convert miners' gold from 
     the California gold rush into coins.
       (3) The San Francisco Old Mint Building was designed by 
     architect A.B. Mullett, who also designed the United States 
     Treasury Building and the Old Executive Office Building.
       (4) The solid construction of the Granite Lady enabled it 
     to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, making 
     it the only financial institution that was able to operate 
     immediately after the earthquake as the treasury for disaster 
     relief funds for the city of San Francisco.
       (5) Coins struck at the San Francisco Old Mint are 
     distinguished by the ``S'' mint mark.
       (6) The San Francisco Old Mint is famous for having struck 
     many rare, legendary issues, such as the 1870-S $3 coin, 
     which is valued today at well over $1,000,000, and the 1894-S 
     dime which is comparatively rare.
       (7) The San Francisco Old Mint Commemorative Coin will be 
     the first commemorative coin to honor a United States mint 
     facility.

     SEC. 3. COIN SPECIFICATIONS.

       (a) Denominations.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, and in commemoration of the San Francisco Old Mint, the 
     Secretary of the Treasury (hereafter in this Act referred to 
     as the ``Secretary'') shall mint and issue the following 
     coins:
       (1) $5 gold coins.--Not more than 100,000 $5 coins, which 
     shall--
       (A) weigh 8.359 grams;
       (B) have a diameter of 0.850 inches; and
       (C) contain 90 percent gold and 10 percent alloy.
       (2) $1 silver coins.--Not more than 500,000 $1 coins, which 
     shall--
       (A) weigh 26.73 grams;
       (B) have a diameter of 1.500 inches; and
       (C) contain 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
       (b) Legal Tender.--The coins minted under this Act shall be 
     legal tender, as provided in section 5103 of title 31, United 
     States Code.
       (c) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 
     5136 of title 31, United States Code, all coins minted under 
     this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 4. DESIGN OF COINS.

       (a) Design Requirements.--
       (1) In general.--The design of the coins minted under this 
     Act shall be emblematic of the San Francisco Old Mint 
     Building, its importance to California and the history of the 
     United States, and its role in rebuilding San Francisco after 
     the 1906 earthquake and fire.
       (2) Designation and inscriptions.--On each coin minted 
     under this Act, there shall be--
       (A) a designation of the value of the coin;
       (B) an inscription of the year ``2006''; and
       (C) inscriptions of the words ``Liberty'', ``In God We 
     Trust'', ``United States of America'', and ``E Pluribus 
     Unum''.
       (b) Selection.--The design for the coins minted under this 
     Act shall be--
       (1) selected by the Secretary, after consultation with the 
     Commission of Fine Arts, and the Board of the San Francisco 
     Museum and Historical Society; and
       (2) reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.

     SEC. 5. ISSUANCE OF COINS.

       (a) Quality of Coins.--Coins minted under this Act shall be 
     issued in uncirculated and proof qualities.
       (b) Mint Facility.--The coins authorized under this Act 
     shall be struck at the San Francisco Mint, to the greatest 
     extent possible.
       (c) Period for Issuance.--The Secretary may issue coins 
     minted under this Act only during the 1-year period beginning 
     on January 1, 2006.

     SEC. 6. SALE OF COINS.

       (a) Sale Price.--The coins issued under this Act shall be 
     sold by the Secretary at a price equal to the sum of--
       (1) the face value of the coins;
       (2) the surcharge provided in section 7(a) with respect to 
     such coins; and
       (3) the cost of designing and issuing the coins (including 
     labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, overhead expenses, 
     marketing, and shipping).
       (b) Bulk Sales.--The Secretary shall make bulk sales of the 
     coins issued under this Act at a reasonable discount.
       (c) Prepaid Orders.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall accept prepaid orders 
     for the coins minted under this Act before the issuance of 
     such coins.
       (2) Discount.--Sale prices with respect to prepaid orders 
     under paragraph (1) shall be at a reasonable discount.

     SEC. 7. SURCHARGES.

       (a) In General.--All sales of coins minted under this Act 
     shall include a surcharge as follows:
       (1) A surcharge of $35 per coin for the $5 coin.
       (2) A surcharge of $10 per coin for the $1 coin.
       (b) Distribution.--Subject to section 5134(f) of title 31, 
     United States Code, all surcharges received by the Secretary 
     from the sale of coins issued under this Act shall be 
     promptly paid by the Secretary to the San Francisco Museum 
     and Historical Society for the purposes of rehabilitating the 
     Historic Old Mint in San Francisco as a city museum and an 
     American Coin and Gold Rush Museum.
       (c) Audits.--The San Francisco Museum and Historical 
     Society shall be subject to the audit requirements of section 
     5134(f)(2) of title 31, United States Code, with regard to 
     the amounts received under subsection (b).
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. HATCH (for himself and Mr. Baucus):
  S. 1883. A bill to amend the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real 
Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 to assist property owners and 
Federal agencies in resolving disputes relating to private property; to 
the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President: I rise today to introduce S. 1883, the 
Empowering More Property Owners with Enhanced Rights Act of 2005, or 
the EMPOWER Act, a bill that amends the Uniform Relocation Assistance 
and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (the Uniform Act). 
The EMPOWER Act will assist property owners and Federal agencies in 
resolving disputes relating to private property outside of the courts. 
I am joined by my colleague Senator Baucus as lead cosponsor of this 
bill.
  In the wake of the Supreme Court decision Kelo v. New London, 
citizens around the country are calling members of Congress asking if 
their homes, small businesses, and family farms are safe from the power 
of the government. While this legislation doesn't address Kelo 
directly, the EMPOWER Act will enhance the rights of private property 
owners, when their property becomes a target of the federal government.
  The Uniform Act applies to all Federal agencies, and was passed by 
Congress to ``provide for uniform and equitable treatment of persons 
displaced from their homes, businesses or farms by Federal and 
federally assisted programs. . . .'' The Act was amended in 1987 to 
designate the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) as the Lead 
Agency, requiring it to coordinate with other Federal agencies to issue 
government-wide standards for eminent domain actions.
  The EMPOWER Act would super-size the Uniform Act by assigning the DOT 
stronger responsibilities in protecting the rights of property owners. 
It accomplishes this goal in two significant ways. First, it 
establishes a Property Owners' Bill of Rights, adding new powers to 
property owners. Second, it establishes a Private Property Ombudsperson 
to act as a neutral party to assist property owners, small businesses, 
and family farms when they are subject to Federal or federally assisted 
actions that affect their property.
  The property owners' ``Bill of Rights'' includes those rights already 
enumerated in the Uniform Act, such as the right to just compensation, 
replacement housing, and relocation assistance. However, the bill would 
add several new rights that would significantly enhance the power of 
the Uniform Act. These are: the right to full

[[Page S11480]]

disclosure of the government's appraised value of the property in 
question; the right to an independent second appraisal; the right to 
participate in mediation or, if necessary, arbitration as an 
alternative to costly and time-consuming litigation; the right to be 
informed about their rights and access to assistance; and the right to 
assistance from a Property Rights Ombudsperson.
  The Property Rights Ombudsperson established by the EMPOWER Act would 
assist property owners in negotiating the Federal bureaucracy and to 
act as a third-party neutral in resolving disputes. The Ombudsperson 
would inform the public of their rights and actively work to help 
property owners take full advantage of those rights. The Ombudsperson 
would call for mediated disputes; force arbitration if necessary; work 
with Federal agencies to advise them about their actions which affect 
private property; ensure that agencies inform affected property owners 
of their rights; and provide information to private citizens, citizen 
groups, and other interested parties regarding rights and 
responsibilities relating to property rights.
  The EMPOWER Act is modeled after a highly successful program in Utah, 
which has led the Nation in the area of property rights. After 8 years 
in effect in Utah, this program has taken a great deal of the acrimony 
and pain out of the process of eminent domain. It has saved the state 
millions of dollars in litigation fees and reduced the condemnation 
rate by half. Most important, it has considerably improved government 
to citizen relations. The vast majority of those using this program in 
Utah are homeowners and the program has provided them with considerable 
relief.
  The EMPOWER Act adapts the Utah model to the Federal Government. The 
Act does not change the rules of Federal acquisition of private 
property, but it does provide significant assistance to private 
property owners, small businesses, and family farmers when they are 
faced with a daunting Federal bureaucracy and the possibility of 
private property loss.
  The EMPOWER Act goes a long way toward protecting our citizens from 
overbearing federal action with regard to private property rights. It 
takes nothing away from government but does empower citizens, and 
requires agencies to ensure that property owners are treated fairly. I 
urge my colleagues to support this Act.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself, Mrs. Dole, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. 
        Smith, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Levin, Mr. Corzine, and 
        Mr. Leahy):
  S. 1885. A bill to encourage the effective use of community resources 
to combat hunger and the root causes of hunger by creating opportunity 
through food recovery and job training; to the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Food 
Employment Empowerment and Development Act or FEED Act along with my 
colleagues Senators Dole and Lincoln. This important, bipartisan 
legislation will award grants to qualified programs that effectively 
combat hunger while creating opportunity through food rescue programs 
and job training.
  This legislation is inspired by some of the great work that food 
rescue programs in my State of New Jersey, such as Table to Table in 
Englewood Cliffs, Elijah's Promise in New Brunswick; the Food Bank of 
Monmouth and Ocean Counties, in Spring Lake; and the Community Food 
Bank of New Jersey in Hillside are doing.
  It is a tragedy that in the United States, a country where food is 
plentiful, more than 34 million people are either going hungry or 
living on the edge of hunger. Thirteen million of those are children.
  While on average New Jersey is one of the wealthiest States in the 
Nation, nearly 12 percent of all New Jersey households experience 
either hunger, food insecurity or both. Low wages, unstable employment 
and the high cost of living in the State leave many people in need. 
Senior adults in particular, faced with high housing costs, rising 
taxes and significant medical expenses miss meals to help make ends 
meet.
  That is why we believe the FEED Act is so important. The FEED Act 
would provide eligible entities with a maximum grant of $200,000 per 
year to carry out food rescue and job training activities.
  Food rescue programs collect food from restaurants and businesses and 
turn it into nutritional meals for seniors, children, and low-income 
families. In turn, these meals can be distributed and served to hungry 
people at homeless shelters, community and youth centers, children's 
after-school programs, and senior citizen programs.
  Such programs have proven to be very successful, encouraging 
partnerships between existing social service programs like welfare-to-
work, meals-on-wheels, the school lunch program, and after school 
programs with the preparation of nutritious meals for people in need. 
Food rescue programs often maximize use of existing school, community, 
or private food service facilities and resources to run programs.
  But just addressing the immediate problem of hunger by providing food 
is half the battle. Hunger and poverty are closely related. With hunger 
on the rise in America, we need to go further and address the root 
causes of hunger by encouraging self sufficiency and responsibility. We 
need to focus on opportunities that will provide for a living wage 
through job training and education.
  Programs supported by FEED are designed to provide long-term hunger 
relief by helping participants find employment in the food service 
industry. In the food service industry, the average wage for starting 
jobs is $8.81--over three dollars higher than the Federal minimum wage.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. Together 
we can make progress by finding innovative, cost-effective ways to use 
food to feed the hungry while working to break the cycle of poverty by 
training the homeless and unemployed in food service preparation and 
delivery.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1885

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Food Employment Empowerment 
     and Development Program Act of 2005''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an 
     entity that meets the requirements of section (3)(b).
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Agriculture.
       (3) Vulnerable subpopulation.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``vulnerable subpopulation'' 
     means low-income individuals, unemployed individuals, and 
     other subpopulations identified by the Secretary as being 
     likely to experience special risks from hunger or a special 
     need for job training.
       (B) Inclusions.--The term ``vulnerable subpopulation'' 
     includes--
       (i) addicts (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled 
     Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802));
       (ii) at-risk youths (as defined in section 1432 of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6472));
       (iii) individuals that are basic skills deficient (as 
     defined in section 101 of the Workforce Investment Act of 
     1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801));
       (iv) homeless individuals (as defined in section 17(b) of 
     the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(b));
       (v) homeless youths (as defined in section 387 of the 
     Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5732a));
       (vi) individuals with disabilities (as defined in section 3 
     of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
     12102));
       (vii) low-income individuals (as defined in section 101 of 
     the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801)); and
       (viii) older individuals (as defined in section 102 of the 
     Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3002)).

     SEC. 3. FOOD EMPLOYMENT EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a food 
     employment empowerment and development program under which 
     the Secretary shall make grants to eligible entities to 
     encourage the effective use of community resources to combat 
     hunger and the root causes of hunger by creating opportunity 
     through food recovery and job training.
       (b) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
     under this section, an entity shall be a public agency, or 
     private nonprofit institution, that conducts, or will 
     conduct, 2 or more of the following activities as an integral 
     part of the normal operation of the entity:
       (1) Recovery of donated food from area restaurants, 
     caterers, hotels, cafeterias, farms, or other food service 
     businesses.

[[Page S11481]]

       (2) Distribution of meals or recovered food to--
       (A) nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(3) 
     of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
       (B) entities that feed vulnerable subpopulations; and
       (C) other agencies considered appropriate by the Secretary.
       (3) Training of unemployed and underemployed adults for 
     careers in the food service industry.
       (4) Carrying out of a welfare-to-work job training program 
     in combination with--
       (A) production of school meals, such as school meals served 
     under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 
     U.S.C. 1771 et seq.); or
       (B) support for after-school programs, such as programs 
     conducted by community learning centers (as defined in 
     section 4201(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171(b))).
       (c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity may use a grant 
     awarded under this section for--
       (1) capital investments related to the operation of the 
     eligible entity;
       (2) support services for clients, including staff, of the 
     eligible entity and individuals enrolled in job training 
     programs;
       (3) purchase of equipment and supplies related to the 
     operation of the eligible entity or that improve or directly 
     affect service delivery;
       (4) building and kitchen renovations that improve or 
     directly affect service delivery;
       (5) educational material and services;
       (6) administrative costs, in accordance with guidelines 
     established by the Secretary; and
       (7) additional activities determined appropriate by the 
     Secretary.
       (d) Preferences.--In awarding grants under this section, 
     the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities that 
     perform, or will perform, any of the following activities:
       (1) Carrying out food recovery programs that are integrated 
     with--
       (A) culinary worker training programs, such as programs 
     conducted by a food service management institute under 
     section 21 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1769b-1);
       (B) school education programs; or
       (C) programs of service-learning (as defined in section 101 
     of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
     12511)).
       (2) Providing job skills training, life skills training, 
     and case management support to vulnerable subpopulations.
       (3) Integrating recovery and distribution of food with a 
     job training program.
       (4) Maximizing the use of an established school, community, 
     or private food service facility or resource in meal 
     preparation and culinary skills training.
       (5) Providing job skills training, life skills training, 
     and case management support to vulnerable subpopulations.
       (e) Eligibility for Job Training.--To be eligible to 
     receive job training assistance from an eligible entity using 
     a grant made available under this section, an individual 
     shall be a member of a vulnerable subpopulation.
       (f) Performance Indicators.--The Secretary shall establish, 
     for each year of the program, performance indicators and 
     expected levels of performance for meal and food distribution 
     and job training for eligible entities to continue to receive 
     and use grants under this section.
       (g) Technical Assistance.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide technical 
     assistance to eligible entities that receive grants under 
     this section to assist the eligible entities in carrying out 
     programs under this section using the grants.
       (2) Form.--Technical assistance for a program provided 
     under this subsection includes--
       (A) maintenance of a website, newsletters, email 
     communications, and other tools to promote shared 
     communications, expertise, and best practices;
       (B) hosting of an annual meeting or other forums to provide 
     education and outreach to all programs participants;
       (C) collection of data for each program to ensure that the 
     performance indicators and purposes of the program are met or 
     exceeded;
       (D) intervention (if necessary) to assist an eligible 
     entity to carry out the program in a manner that meets or 
     exceeds the performance indicators and purposes of the 
     program;
       (E) consultation and assistance to an eligible entity to 
     assist the eligible entity in providing the best services 
     practicable to the community served by the eligible entity, 
     including consultation and assistance related to--
       (i) strategic plans;
       (ii) board development;
       (iii) fund development;
       (iv) mission development; and
       (v) other activities considered appropriate by the 
     Secretary;
       (F) assistance considered appropriate by the Secretary 
     regarding--
       (i) the status of program participants;
       (ii) the demographic characteristics of program 
     participants that affect program services;
       (iii) any new idea that could be integrated into the 
     program; and
       (iv) the review of grant proposals; and
       (G) any other forms of technical assistance the Secretary 
     considers appropriate.
       (h) Relationship to Other Law.--
       (1) Bill emerson good samaritan food donation act.--An 
     action taken by an eligible entity using a grant provided 
     under this section shall be covered by the Bill Emerson Good 
     Samaritan Food Donation Act (42 U.S.C. 1791).
       (2) Food handling guidelines.--In using a grant provided 
     under this section, an eligible entity shall comply with any 
     applicable food handling guideline established by a State or 
     local authority.
       (3) Inspections.--An eligible entity using a grant provided 
     under this section shall be exempt from inspection under 
     sections 303.1(d)(2)(iii) and 381.10(d)(2)(iii) of volume 9, 
     Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), if 
     the eligible entity--
       (A) has a hazard analysis and critical control point 
     (HACCP) plan;
       (B) has a sanitation standard operating procedure (SSOP); 
     and
       (C) otherwise complies with the Federal Meat Inspection Act 
     (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) and the Poultry Products Inspection 
     Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.).
       (i) Maximum Amount of Grant.--The amount of a grant 
     provided to an eligible entity for a fiscal year under this 
     section shall not exceed $200,000.
       (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
     2006 through 2011.
       (2) Technical assistance.--Of the amount of funds that are 
     made available for a fiscal year under paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary shall use to provide technical assistance under 
     subsection (g) not more than the greater of--
       (A) 5 percent of the amount of funds that are made 
     available for the fiscal year under paragraph (1); or
       (B) $1,000,000.

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Food 
Employment Empowerment and Development (FEED) Act. I am proud to join 
my good friends and colleagues, Senators Lautenberg and Dole in 
introducing this legislation that aims to help feed hungry Americans 
and provide job training to low-income Americans in search of self-
sufficiency.
  The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that Americans 
throw away 96 billion pounds of food each year. This number includes 
the food we throw away after meals, food that loses its shelf life and 
food that never makes it to store shelves. Meanwhile, 36 million 
Americans, including 13 million children, don't know where their next 
meal is coming from. Many of these children will go to bed tonight on 
an empty stomach. This is a paradox in a land of plenty.
  Several blocks from this magnificent and historic Capitol building, 
there is a kitchen located in the basement of a building that houses 
social services. In that kitchen, every day, over 4,000 meals are 
prepared by low-income, recovering drug addicts or unemployed persons 
who are training to be chefs. The dozen men and women are in a 12-week 
culinary arts training program and once completed, they will earn their 
culinary arts certification which will empower them to find a job in 
the culinary industry. The over 4,000 meals produced at the DC Central 
Kitchen each day come from a combination of donated, rescued or 
purchased food and are delivered to hundreds of agencies in the 
Washington metro area that in turn feed hungry adults and children.
  America's Second Harvest has a national network of foodbanks which 
conduct similar programs called ``Community Kitchens'' that achieve the 
same goals.
  These types of programs are smart and responsible uses of resources 
and Senators Lautenberg and Dole and I recognize a great model when we 
see one. We believe that by infusing some Federal support with private 
business, foundations, and faith-based and local non-profit resources, 
we can grow similar programs all across the Nation.
  Again, we are taking rescued food, food that would otherwise be 
wasted, turning it into meals that are being prepared by people who are 
training to get a job to help support themselves and their family, and 
using the meals to feed hungry American adults and children.
  I believe that all of us that are committed to helping end hunger in 
America agree with the old adage: ``Give a man a fish and he eats for a 
day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.'' And it is this 
simple concept that is the impetus for the FEED Act.
  I am hopeful that this legislation will help local anti-hunger 
organizations in Arkansas and across the Nation who want to use this 
multi-pronged approach to feed the hungry, empower the unemployed and 
maximize food resources.
  I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bi-partisan bill 
today

[[Page S11482]]

and I appreciate those Senators who have joined us in sponsoring this 
commonsense legislation. I look forward to working with all of my 
colleagues to ensure its speedy consideration and passage.

                          ____________________