[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 38 (Thursday, March 6, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1705-S1706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CASEY (for himself and Ms. Snowe):
  S. 2726. A bill to amend the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to 
require the Secretary of Agriculture to help offset the costs of 
intrastate transportation, storage, and distribution of bonus 
commodities provided to States and food assistance agencies under the 
emergency food assistance program; to the Committee on Agiculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about a crisis that is 
facing a growing number of Americans every day. That crisis is hunger. 
In this country, as food prices continue to rise, more and more 
American families find themselves desperately in need of help just to 
put food on the table for themselves and their families.
  In 2006 alone, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, reported 
that 35.5 million Americans did not have enough money or resources to 
get food for at least some period during the year. This figure was an 
increase of 400,000 over 2005 and an increase of 2.3 million since 
2000. And, with the fragile state of our economy, we can only assume 
that these figures for 2007 and 2008 will be even more disturbing. The 
only recourse for these millions of people is to turn to Federal food 
assistance programs and emergency food banks for their basic food 
needs.
  Unfortunately, as recent articles in national publications like the 
USA Today and the New York Times have highlighted, there is a critical 
lack of food inventories available in local food pantries across the 
country. Rising demand, sharp drops in Federal supplies of excess 
commodities, and declining donations have forced food banks to cut back 
on rations, and in some cases, close their doors. In short, America's 
food banks are facing critical shortages now.
  As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry, I had a hand in helping to create a new farm bill. This bill, 
as passed by the Senate, will help food banks by providing additional 
annual funding to shore up food bank supplies. But, as we continue to 
conference this bill with the House, there are further steps we can 
take to help ensure that food banks can continue to fulfill their 
mission.
  That is why today I am pleased to join with Senator Snowe to 
introduce the Bonus TEFAP Assistance Act of 2008. This act will provide 
critical support needed to ensure food assistance agencies, already in 
desperate need of supplies, can take full advantage of the 
distributions of bonus food commodities supplied by USDA through the 
Emergency Food Assistance Program, TEFAP. By helping to offset the 
intrastate storage, transportation, and distribution costs the food 
assistance agencies incur to distribute these bonus food surpluses, the 
act will ensure the commodities will be able to reach the greatest 
number of needy individuals.
  The Emergency Food Assistance Program began in 1981 as a temporary 
program with dual purposes; it was intended to help reduce the Federal 
food inventories and storage costs while also assisting the needy. 
Because of the program's success in helping distribute food to those in 
need, in 1988, after much of the Federal inventory was depleted, the 
Hunger Prevention Act authorized funds to be appropriated to purchase 
food for TEFAP.
  Under current-day TEFAP, the USDA provides States and food assistance 
agencies with food commodities bought specifically for the program and 
with funding to help cover distributing agencies' intrastate storage, 
handling, and distribution costs. In addition, when available, USDA 
provides any excess food not needed to fulfill other

[[Page S1706]]

program requirements to States for allocation to local food assistance 
agencies. This excess food is otherwise known as ``bonus TEFAP.'' 
Unfortunately, while the USDA generously distributes these bonus TEFAP 
commodities to the States, many of the State and food assistance 
agencies are unable to accept the bonus TEFAP commodities because they 
do not have the resources to store, transport, or distribute them.
  The Bonus TEFAP Assistance Act of 2008 that I am introducing today 
with Senator Snowe alleviates this problem by providing offsetting 
funds to recipient agencies to assist with the costs of storing, 
transporting, and distributing bonus TEFAP commodities. The funds 
provided through this legislation will help to provide more food to 
those in need through food banks, food pantries, emergency shelters, 
soup kitchens, and other organizations that directly provide these 
resources to the public.
  To solve the problem the inadequacy of local resources causes, the 
bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to use existing funds 
granted under section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1935. 
Currently, section 32 funds are used to fund child nutrition programs 
and other programs to support the farm sector at the discretion of the 
Secretary. Through this legislation, a small portion of section 32 
funds would be allocated to each eligible recipient agency in the 
lesser amount of $0.05 per pound or $0.05 per dollar value of bonus 
TEFAP commodities. With this modest increase in funding, the States and 
their food assistance agencies will be able to accept more food 
distributions from the USDA through TEFAP, benefitting the many low-
income recipients who rely on the program for emergency food and 
nutrition assistance.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join Senator Snowe and me in ensuring 
that the States and food assistance agencies can accept the available 
excess commodity foods the USDA provides under the Emergency Assistance 
Food Program. Food assistance agencies are in dire need of funds, food, 
and supplies and we owe it to them to ensure that they can take full 
advantage of every opportunity to serve those in our nation who are in 
desperate need.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2726

       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 ``Bonus TEFAP Assistance Act 
     of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR COSTS OF DISTRIBUTING BONUS 
                   COMMODITIES.

       (a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
       (1) to encourage States and food assistance agencies to 
     accept commodities acquired by the Secretary of Agriculture 
     for farm support and surplus removal activities; and
       (2) to offset the costs of the States and food assistance 
     agencies for the intrastate transportation, storage, and 
     distribution of the commodities.
       (b) Costs of Distributing Bonus Commodities.--Section 202 
     of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7502) 
     is amended by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) Costs of Distributing Bonus Commodities.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall use funds made 
     available under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 
     U.S.C. 612c), to provide funding described in paragraph (2) 
     to eligible recipient agencies to offset the costs of the 
     agencies for intrastate transportation, storage, and 
     distribution of commodities described in subsection (a).
       ``(2) Funding.--The Secretary shall provide funding 
     described in paragraph (1) to an eligible recipient agency at 
     a rate equal to the lower of $0.05 per pound or $0.05 per 
     dollar value of commodities described in subsection (a) that 
     are made available under this Act to, and accepted by, the 
     eligible recipient agency.''.
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