[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18823]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         THE HUNGER RELIEF ACT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Madam Speaker, as somebody who is on the left, on the 
other side of the aisle, I want to speak about an issue I think both 
sides can agree on.
  Madam Speaker, in August, many of us in Congress were delighted by 
the catered cuisine served at various events during our party 
conventions. Yet, while we dined, 31 million Americans were either 
hungry or living under the specter of hunger. The economy is strong, 
unemployment is at a 30-year low, welfare rolls have been slashed. 
Still, every day in America, despite welfare reform or, perhaps, as 
some would say, because of it, there are families who need and use food 
stamps to eat. Every day in America, despite welfare reform or, 
perhaps, again, because of it, many go hungry, more have poor health, 
great numbers of our children, far too many, are unable to learn 
because they do not have enough to eat.
  As we near the end of this Congress, we have a chance to change that 
shocking and scandalous situation.
  I am so proud to have joined 181 of our colleagues in the House and 
38 Senators, Democrats and Republicans, in support of legislation that 
focuses on food and takes notice of this Nation's nutritional needs. 
The Hunger Relief Act, H.R. 3192 in the House and S. 1805 in the Senate 
will help one in 10 families in our Nation who are affected by hunger.
  There is evidence of hunger in 3.6 percent of all households in 
America. According to the report from Bread for the World, entitled 
``Domestic Hunger and Poverty Facts,'' 31 million people live in 
households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. That number 
represents 1 in every 10 households in the United States. Close to 4 
million children are hungry. Madam Speaker, 14 million children, 20 
percent of the population of children, live in food-insecure homes. In 
food-insecure homes, meals are skipped, the size of meals are reduced; 
and again, according to the Bread of the World, sometimes the occupants 
of these homes go without food for a whole day.
  More than 10 percent of all households in America are food insecure. 
Because there is such hunger and food insecurity, there is also infant 
mortality, growth stunting, iron deficiency, anemia, poor learning, and 
increased chances of disease. Because of such hunger and food 
insecurity, the poor are more likely to remain poor, the hungry more 
likely to remaining hungry, and the sick are less likely to get well 
soon. It seems strange that we must fight for food for those who cannot 
fight for themselves.
  Madam Speaker, hunger is a condition of poverty. It is really time 
for us to stop picking on the poor. Less than 3 percent of the budget 
goes to feed the hungry, and it is well documented that when we use our 
resources for food and nutrition, the health needs of this Nation's 
poor, it does make a difference.
  For more than 3 decades now, the Food Stamp program has been a corner 
stone of America's fight against hunger, and the first line of defense. 
Over the years, the program has been steadily improving, with the 
elimination of the requirement that food stamps be purchased, being one 
of the most significant breakthroughs. While many, too many continue to 
confront food insecurity, the situation today is far better than it was 
in 1960 when the Federal Government first began to focus on food. 
Similarly, the health consequences of this Nation's programs have 
experienced marked improvement. The data on birth rate, physical 
growth, and anemia is striking.
  For example, the data shows that over a 20-year period, the incidence 
of physical stunting among preschool children decreased by 6.5 percent; 
and the improvement in the Nation's nutritional status indicates that 
while we need to continue our work, we can change the course of 
malnutrition among the poor and the needy. Over a 10-year period, 
according to the data, the percent of low-income households that meet 
100 percent of the recommended dietary allowance grew twice as much as 
the improvement in the general population.
  We are making progress, but we still have a long ways to go. That is 
why, Madam Speaker, Congress should and Congress must pass the Hunger 
Relief legislation before we go home this year. It is the least we can 
do, indeed, while we have such great prosperity.

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