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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 156 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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;
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
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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates June 7, 2005, as ``National Hunger Awareness 
        Day'';
            (2) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
        ``National Hunger Awareness Day''--
                    (A) with appropriate ceremonies, volunteer 
                activities, and other support for local antihunger 
                advocacy efforts and hunger relief charities, including 
                food banks, food rescue organizations, food pantries, 
                soup kitchens, and emergency shelters; and
                    (B) with the year-round support of programs and 
                public policies that reduce hunger and food insecurity 
                in the United States; and
            (3) authorizes the offices of Senators Smith, Lincoln, 
        Dole, and Durbin 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.
                                 <all>
```