WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Congressman Tracey Mann (R-KS) announced the relaunch of the House Hunger Caucus. Since 2007, the bipartisan House Hunger Caucus has provided a forum for Members of Congress to discuss, advance, engage, and work across the aisle on issues related to domestic and international hunger and food insecurity.
“Food is something that unites all of us—something that brings everyone to the table. Ending hunger and improving nutrition are bipartisan issues—something everyone should be able to get behind because they just make sense. In our own country, hunger costs our federal government billions of dollars in healthcare costs and lost productivity that could be saved if we address this issue in a responsible way,” said Rep. McGovern. “We should all be proud that America’s farmers are the envy of the world—and that America continues to lead the world in reducing global hunger and addressing the root causes of food insecurity. Ending hunger in this country and around the world is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. I’m proud to work alongside my colleague on the Agriculture Committee, Congressman Tracey Mann, to elevate these important issues and find common ground in the fight against hunger.”
“No one wants people to go hungry,” said Rep. Mann. “Growing up on my family’s farm in Kansas taught me the sacred responsibility of feeding people, which American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers tirelessly embrace every day. Hunger destabilizes countries, starts wars, eliminates markets, and causes human suffering; America benefits on multiple levels from making investments that address it. We can stop wars before they start, strengthen markets for American producers to sell their products, and save people from starvation. America is the leader of the free world, which comes with certain responsibilities; addressing global hunger is both the morally right and strategically wise thing to do. I’m proud to re-establish the bipartisan House Hunger Caucus with my colleague Rep. McGovern and other Members of Congress equally committed to ending hunger.”
Over the years, the House Hunger Caucus has hosted a number of briefings on topics ranging from introductions to the major domestic and international hunger programs, to food deserts in rural and urban America, to global agriculture and farmer-to-farmer initiatives, to international school feeding and child nutrition programs. The caucus also fosters cooperation and communications with a wide variety of external stakeholders—state and local governments, federal agencies, farmers, faith-based organizations, and the business community. Hunger disproportionately affects children, seniors, military families, veterans, and people with disabilities.
###
