III 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 156 

Designating June 7, 2005, as ‘‘National Hunger Awareness Day’’ and authorizing that the Senate offices of Senators Gordon Smith, Blanche L. 

Lincoln, Elizabeth Dole, and Richard J. Durbin be used to collect donations of food from May 26, 2005, until June 7, 2005, from concerned 

Members of Congress and staff to assist families suffering from hunger 

and food insecurity in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 25, 2005 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. SMITH, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mrs. DOLE, and Mr. 

LEAHY) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating June 7, 2005, as ‘‘National Hunger Awareness 

Day’’ and authorizing that the Senate offices of Senators 

Gordon Smith, Blanche L. Lincoln, Elizabeth Dole, and 

Richard J. Durbin be used to collect donations of food 

from May 26, 2005, until June 7, 2005, from concerned 

Members of Congress and staff to assist families suffering from hunger and food insecurity in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. 

Whereas food insecurity and hunger are a fact of life for millions of low-income Americans and can produce physical, 

mental, and social impairments; 
2 

•SRES 156 ATS

Whereas recent census data show that almost 36,300,000 

people in the United States live in households experiencing hunger or food insecurity; 

Whereas the problem of hunger and food insecurity can be 

found in rural, suburban, and urban America, touching 

nearly every American community; 

Whereas although substantial progress has been made in reducing the incidence of hunger and food insecurity in the 

United States, certain groups, including the working 

poor, the elderly, homeless people, children, migrant 

workers, and Native Americans remain vulnerable to hunger and the negative effects of food deprivation; 

Whereas the people of the United States have a long tradition 

of providing food assistance to hungry people through 

acts of private generosity and public support programs; 

Whereas the United States Government, through Federal 

food assistance programs like the Federal Food Stamp 

Program, child nutrition programs, and food donation 

programs, provides essential nutrition support to millions 

of low-income people; 

Whereas there is a growing awareness of the important public 

and private partnership role that community-based organizations, institutions of faith, and charities provide in 

assisting hungry and food insecure people; 

Whereas more than 50,000 local community-based organizations rely on the support and efforts of more than 

1,000,000 volunteers to provide food assistance and services to millions of vulnerable people; 

Whereas a diverse group of organizations have documented 

substantial increases in requests for emergency food assistance over the past year; and 
3 

•SRES 156 ATS

Whereas all Americans can help participate in hunger relief 

efforts in their communities by donating food and money, 

volunteering, and supporting public policies aimed at reducing hunger: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates June 7, 2005, as ‘‘National 

3 Hunger Awareness Day’’; 

4 (2) calls upon the people of the United States 

5 to observe ‘‘National Hunger Awareness Day’’— 

6 (A) with appropriate ceremonies, volunteer 

7 activities, and other support for local 

8 antihunger advocacy efforts and hunger relief 

9 charities, including food banks, food rescue or10 ganizations, food pantries, soup kitchens, and 

11 emergency shelters; and 

12 (B) with the year-round support of pro13 grams and public policies that reduce hunger 

14 and food insecurity in the United States; and 

15 (3) authorizes the offices of Senators Smith, 

16 Lincoln, Dole, and Durbin to collect donations of 

17 food from May 26, 2005, until June 7, 2005, from 

18 concerned Members of Congress and staff to assist 

19 families suffering from hunger and food insecurity in 

20 the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. 

Æ