[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7105]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING AMBASSADOR TONY HALL'S HUNGER FAST

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                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2011

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend my dear 
friend and our former colleague, Ambassador Tony Hall, for his devotion 
to those less fortunate. Ambassador Hall went on a 28-day fast after 
learning of proposed budget cuts for programs that help those less 
fortunate domestically and abroad.
  Here are some comments that he made regarding his recent fast:
  ``Back in 1993, as a Member of Congress, I went on a 22-day fast to 
protest the lack of conscience of the U.S. Congress towards poor and 
hungry people. Now, almost twenty years later, the stakes are even 
higher. That's why on March 28, 2011--almost one month ago--I stopped 
eating and started fasting, calling on friends and colleagues from 
across the country and around the world to join me.
  ``This coming Easter Sunday I will stop fasting. The Hungerfast 
campaign is coming to an end, but the movement to ensure our leaders 
don't balance the budgets on the backs of poor and hungry people is 
only getting started.
  ``But before moving forward, I want to pause for a moment to look 
back on what we have accomplished together, and to express my gratitude 
for all the ways people have broken out of their normal routines--going 
above and beyond--in order to make the Hungerfast movement possible.
  ``Hungerfast has brought together a large and diverse coalition of 
partners; Meals on Wheels and the ONE Campaign. World Vision and 
MoveOn.org. Christian, Jewish and Muslim organizations breaking out of 
business as usual to call their constituencies to fasting, prayer and 
personal sacrifice.
  ``With over 36,000 Americans, including 28 Members of Congress, 
committed to fasting, prayer and other forms of serious personal 
sacrifice, the HungerFast movement will have repercussions long into 
the future; it has not only set the stage for our ongoing budget 
debate, it has moved all of us into deeper levels of solidarity with 
those who Jesus called, `the least of these.''
  As the Congress continues the budget process, we must carefully 
consider proposals that impact the most vulnerable. Scripture (Proverbs 
19:17) tells us, ``He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.'' And 
in the New Testament Jesus talks a lot about the poor. In Matthew 25 he 
says that if we ignore the poor and hungry it is the same as ignoring 
him.
  It is imperative that we all work together rein in our nation's 
unfunded liabilities to ensure that resources are available to help 
society's neediest and most vulnerable members.

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