Chairman Jim McGovern Leads All 25 House Committee Chairs Urging Biden Administration to Convene Hunger Conference

Urging Action to Address Hunger Crisis Exacerbated by Pandemic, Committee Leaders Say a White House Conference is Key to Improving America’s Food System

Washington, September 1, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rules Committee Chairman James P. McGovern (D-MA) sent a letter signed by all 25 Committee Chairs in the United States House of Representatives and addressed to President Joseph R. Biden Jr. urging him to convene a national conference on food, nutrition, hunger, and health.

Calling for further action to address a hunger crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee leaders said that nearly 40 million Americans lacked the resources to keep food on the table even before the pandemic, and said that a national conference convened by the White House is essential to preventing hunger and improving America’s food system.

“We call on you to convene a national conference on food, nutrition, hunger, and health that draws together all the arms of government, state and local leaders, tribal leaders, nonprofit and for-profit businesses, advocates, and those with lived experiences to design a roadmap to end hunger in America by 2030,” wrote the chairs, adding “by working past artificial government silos and focusing on holistic solutions, we can improve the nation’s health and nutrition while strengthening our food delivery system.”

The first and only White House conference on hunger took place 52 years ago, and led to landmark changes in America’s anti-hunger safety net programs which now prevent millions of children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families from going without food.

The signed letter is available here.

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