Specter Bill Aims to Combat Hunger in America

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In light of startling facts on hunger in America, Specter legislation would double federal funding for local food banks, often the first line of defense against hunger

Washington, D.C. -- November 20, 2009 -- Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) today introduced legislation that seeks to combat the growing incidence of hunger in America. The bill, S.2805, would authorize doubling the funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) from $250 to $500 million and would significantly increase the amount of food available at local food banks which are often the nation’s first line of defense against hunger.

“It is hard to find a sufficiently tough word to describe it - scandalous, outrageous, criminal, repugnant - that in this land of plenty, we should find Americans who are hungry,” Senator Specter said in a statement on the Senate floor. “It is unacceptable to have people hungry anywhere in the world, but right here in our own backyard, for this situation to exist, is beyond the pale.”

A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals 50 million Americans, including nearly 1 in 4 children, do not have access to enough food. The staggering number is the highest level since the government has kept track of such statistics.

Upon reading the USDA report, Senator Specter called the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, to discuss the issue. In consultation with the Secretary Vilsack and hunger advocates, Senator Specter crafted the legislation which provides immediate relief and builds upon the existing framework for food bank distribution.

“It would be my hope that this is the kind of legislation could be passed very promptly - hopefully, before Christmas of this year during our current session – so we may take immediate action to replenish the food banks so people in America are not hungry,” Senator Specter continued.

Feeding America, the nation’s largest food bank network who operates 205 food banks nationally and 10 in Pennsylvania, conducted a survey in September 2009 and found that 99% of food banks experienced an increase in demand, and 91% cite unemployment as a critical factor increasing the need for food assistance. What’s more, 55% of food banks reported that they or the agencies who help distribute the food they provide have had to turn people away in the last year.

The USDA report shows that dependable access to adequate food has especially deteriorated among families with children. In 2008, nearly 17 million children, or 22.5 percent, lived in households in which food at times was scarce – up from 4 million children the year before. The report also shows that food shortages are particularly pronounced among women raising children alone. Additionally, blacks and Hispanics were more than twice as likely as whites to report that food in their home was scarce.

Source: Senator Arlen Specter