Political Quotes

“I rise in support of S. 2420, the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008. This bill would require a clause in federal food services contracts greater than $25,000 to encouraging donations to nonprofit organizations, such as food banks and food pantries. I have been active in the fight against hunger for over two decades. Following my first visit to Ethiopia during its famine in 1984, I worked across the aisle to fight hunger both at home and abroad. I was pleased to work for the passage of the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act of 1996 that protected organizations donating food to charitable organizations from liability in order to spur greater donations. However, I am concerned that rising food commodity prices and gasoline prices could hamper efforts by food banks and food pantries to meet the needs of the hungry. In meeting with charitable organizations in my congressional district, it is clear that the business community and government agencies could be doing much more to support efforts to a growing number of families relying on food assistance from charitable organizations. Anyone who has visited a grocery store in the last year understands the challenge our food banks are facing. U.S. grocery prices increased 5.1 percent overall during the last year, with a 17-percent increase in cost for dairy products, a 13-percent increase for rice and pasta, and a 12-percent increase in the cost of breads. This has a tremendous impact on the bottom line for American families.”