[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 18, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E219-E220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCING THE COMMUNITY GARDENING AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2014

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 18, 2014

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Community Gardening and Nutrition Act of 2014, legislation that creates 
a new pilot program within AmeriCorps VISTA focusing on creating and 
improving access to community gardens in areas with high poverty rates.

[[Page E220]]

  Community gardens have been shown to be very beneficial to the 
communities they serve. They improve quality of life, encourage self-
reliance, and reduce family food budgets--all while producing highly 
nutritious food for participants. Additionally, community gardens 
create opportunities for recreation, social interaction, exercise, 
education, and economic development.
  Providing new avenues for nourishment like the one in this 
legislation has become even more important since the recent cuts of $19 
billion to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
  A report released in August 2013 by the Union of Concerned Scientists 
concluded that if Americans ate one extra serving of fruits or 
vegetables daily, there would be approximately 30,000 fewer deaths from 
cardiovascular diseases and $5 billion saved in health care costs in 
our nation every year. Nearly 130,000 deaths would be prevented and $17 
billion saved in medical costs if that amount was increased to an 
additional two and a half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit 
daily. These figures highlight the importance of making healthy foods 
more easily available for those who would benefit from them the most.
  Mr Speaker, my legislation is very straightforward. It requires the 
creation of at least 40 new community garden projects in both urban and 
rural areas suffering from high poverty rates. AmeriCorps VISTA 
volunteers in this program will work with members of these communities 
to establish new gardens, which will help to expand general anti-
poverty efforts, teach basic nutrition, and help provide affordable 
healthy food options. Within 90 days of the completion of the program, 
the Director will submit to Congress a report describing the projects 
that were created, information about the volunteers that were placed, 
and a recommendation regarding continuation and expansion of the 
program.
  I can think of no better way to mark the 50th anniversary of the war 
on poverty than to rededicate ourselves to the principle of improving 
people's lives. We can do this by increasing access to healthy foods 
and fighting health crises like the obesity epidemic. Just last year, 
President Obama announced an expansion of the AmeriCorps program, led 
by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), to 
develop new strategies for expanding national service. This legislation 
could play a significant role in these efforts. The pilot program 
created within the Community Gardening and Nutrition Act of 2014 will 
help to educate about the importance of nutrition and empower Americans 
living in impoverished regions to be more self-reliant while increasing 
access to healthier foods. I urge my colleagues to join me in support 
of this legislation.