Last week’s National Hunger Awareness Day sparked some legislative action. At least it provided the peg on which legislators could hang two interesting bills.
Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) introduced two bills. On June 5, they launched the Hunger Relief Trucking Tax Credit Act, which would give a 25-cent tax credit for each mile a donated truck and driver transport recovered food.
Friday, the trio introduced The Food Employment Empowerment and Development Act (The FEED Act), which would give hunger relief agencies $20 million over five years. The bill is a step in the right direction, but it’s just a drop in the bucket. With more than 250 hunger relief groups in the U.S., each would get $16,000 a year. Plus, it’s anyone’s guess whether these bills will pass.
On another note: To put my money where my mouth (or blog) is, I’m volunteering at a Hunger Day event today that was pushed back a week. I’ll be at the 4th Annual Potato Drop in Raleigh, bagging donated sweet potatoes to be brought to homeless shelters and food banks. When Sgt. Spud calls, you answer.