[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 200 (Wednesday, December 19, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H10324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              NEW FARM BILL HELPS AMERICA'S FOOD PANTRIES

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, during the holiday season, 
many people step up to help their neighbors in need. Americans are 
generous and charitable with their time and energy through both 
monetary donations and volunteer opportunities.
  Food pantries play an important role all year long in communities 
across America. In 2017, an estimated 15 million households in the 
United States were food insecure, which means they lack consistent 
access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
  While this number has decreased from previous years, there is much 
work yet to be done. That is why, as chairman of the Nutrition 
Subcommittee on the Agriculture Committee, I advocated for an increase 
in TEFAP dollars in the 2018 farm bill.
  TEFAP stands for The Emergency Food Assistance Program. Along with 
donations, TEFAP funding is the cornerstone of our food banks.
  I am pleased that we were able to increase funding for this important 
lifeline for so many. Food banks are meeting the needs for low-income 
Americans, the working poor, and those who have fallen on hard times. 
We must always work towards the ultimate goal of ending hunger in 
America.

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