I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1382 
To require the President to call a White House Conference on Food and 
Nutrition. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 6, 2011 
Mr. MCGOVERN (for himself and Mrs. EMERSON) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To require the President to call a White House Conference 
on Food and Nutrition. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘White House Con-
ference on Food and Nutrition Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Hunger and undernutrition are political 
conditions that can be solved. 
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(2) Access to healthy food and good nutrition 
should be a fundamental right of all Americans. 
(3) More than 40 years have passed since the 
United States convened a White House conference to 
comprehensively address the issues of food, hunger, 
health, and nutrition in America. 
(4) More than 50,000,000 Americans live in 
households that face a struggle against hunger; 
17,200,000 of whom are children. 
(5) 
The 
Government 
spends 
more 
than 
$100,000,000 every year responding to the concur-
rent epidemics of hunger and undernutrition, yet the 
number of Americans facing hunger continues to 
grow and our Nation’s nutritional health is declin-
ing. 
(6) Appropriate food and nutrition can save the 
United States billions of dollars in health care costs 
by preventing or delaying the progression to late- 
stage disease for tens of millions of Americans who 
live with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, HIV, 
AIDS, and heart disease. The costs of the effects 
and treatments of those diseases are significantly ex-
acerbated by hunger, food insecurity, and under-
nutrition. 
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(7) A national discussion of the root causes of 
hunger, food insecurity, and undernutrition, as well 
as identification of solutions to these epidemics, can 
lead to action to implement such solutions and to 
end hunger in America. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF THE CONFERENCE. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO CALL CONFERENCE.—Not later 
than December 31, 2012, the President shall call the 
White House Conference on Food and Nutrition (in this 
Act referred to as the ‘‘Conference’’) to be convened not 
later than 18 months after the selection of the Policy Com-
mittee established in section 4, in order to make funda-
mental policy recommendations on ways to end hunger 
and to improve nutrition in the United States and to im-
plement the purposes set forth in subsection (c). 
(b) PLANNING AND DIRECTION.—The Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Agriculture, 
and the Secretary of the Treasury (in this Act referred 
to as the ‘‘Cochairs’’) shall plan, conduct, and convene the 
Conference, in consultation with the Surgeon General. 
(c) PURPOSES OF THE CONFERENCE.—The purposes 
of the Conference are to— 
(1) identify viable solutions for ending hunger 
in the United States; 
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(2) review the current structure, scope, and ef-
fectiveness of existing legislation and programs at 
the Federal, State, and local levels that provide for 
the nutritional needs of food-insecure people living in 
the United States; 
(3) determine the extent to which current Fed-
eral, State, and local programs that provide for the 
nutritional health of Americans can better use avail-
able resources and ensure greater coordination 
among such programs; 
(4) identify new ways to utilize the abundant 
agricultural resources of the United States to meet 
the nutritional needs of all Americans; 
(5) highlight emerging and innovative programs 
from the public and private sectors, including com-
munity-based and faith-based organizations that ef-
fectively address the nutrition needs of vulnerable 
Americans and recommend such programs as can be 
reasonably and cost-effectively replicated; 
(6) identify opportunities for effective partner-
ships between the Government, industry, labor, 
healthcare, and the nonprofit sectors to fight hunger 
in the United States; 
(7) explore the possibility of creating a Federal 
office within the Department of Agriculture to over-
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see the Nation’s response to persistent and wide-
spread hunger and food insecurity, to include the 
oversight and coordination of all Federal, State, and 
local antihunger programs; 
(8) bring public attention to the more than 
50,000,000 people living in the United States that 
face a constant struggle against hunger, food insecu-
rity, and inadequate nutrition; 
(9) illustrate the medical, developmental, and 
educational impact of hunger, food insecurity, and 
inadequate nutrition, and the potential savings to 
the United States health care system, educational 
system, and other sectors when appropriate food is 
available to the critically and chronically ill; 
(10) build understanding of the true cost of 
hunger in the United States, to include lost wages, 
diminished stamina, reduced capacity to learn, and 
the impact of despair; and 
(11) build understanding that the ever-bur-
geoning dual epidemic of hunger and undernutrition 
is a matter of national security. 
SEC. 4. POLICY COMMITTEE; RELATED COMMITTEES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than June 30, 
2011, there is established a Policy Committee comprising 
of 17 members to be selected as follows: 
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(1) PRESIDENTIAL
APPOINTEES.—Nine mem-
bers shall be selected by the President and shall in-
clude— 
(A) 3 members who are officers or employ-
ees of the United States, including the Surgeon 
General; and 
(B) 6 members with experience in address-
ing the needs of food-insecure and undernour-
ished people in the United States. 
(2) HOUSE APPOINTEES.— 
(A) Two members shall be selected by the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives after 
consultation with the chairperson of the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce, the 
chairperson of the Committee on Ways and 
Means, and the chairperson of the Committee 
on Agriculture, of the House of Representa-
tives. 
(B) Two members shall be selected by the 
minority leader of the House of Representa-
tives, after consultation with the ranking minor-
ity members of such committees. 
(3) SENATE APPOINTEES.— 
(A) Two members shall be selected by the 
majority leader of the Senate, after consultation 
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with members of the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee 
on Agriculture, and the Committee on Finance, 
of the Senate. 
(B) Two members shall be selected by the 
minority leader of the Senate, after consultation 
with members of such committees. 
(b) VOTING; CHAIRPERSON.— 
(1) The Policy Committee shall act by the vote 
of a majority of the members present. A quorum of 
Committee members shall not be required to conduct 
Committee business. 
(2) The Surgeon General shall serve as the 
chairperson of the Policy Committee. The chair-
person may vote only to break a tie vote of the other 
members of the Policy Committee. 
(c) DUTIES OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE.—The Pol-
icy Committee shall initially meet at the call of the Co-
chairs, not later than 30 days after the last member is 
selected under subsection (a). Subsequent meetings of the 
Policy Committee shall be held at the call of the chair-
person. Through meetings, hearings, and working ses-
sions, the Policy Committee shall— 
(1) make recommendations to the Cochairs to 
facilitate the timely convening of the Conference; 
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(2) submit to the Cochairs a proposed agenda 
for the Conference not later than 90 days after the 
first meeting of the Policy Committee; 
(3) make recommendations for the delegates of 
the Conference; 
(4) establish the number of delegates to be se-
lected under section 5; and 
(5) establish an executive committee consisting 
of 3 members of the Policy Committee to work with 
delegates of the Conference. 
SEC. 5. CONFERENCE DELEGATES. 
To carry out the purposes of the Conference, the Co-
chairs shall bring together delegates representative of the 
spectrum of thought in the field of food and nutrition, 
without regard to political affiliation or past partisan ac-
tivity, who shall include— 
(1) representatives of Federal, State, and local 
governments; 
(2) professional people and laypeople who are 
working in the field of food, health, nutrition, and 
economic security; and 
(3) representatives of the general public who 
are affected by hunger in the United States. 
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SEC. 6. CONFERENCE ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) ADMINISTRATION.—In administering this section, 
the Cochairs shall— 
(1) provide written notice to all members of the 
Policy Committee of each meeting, hearing, or work-
ing session of such Committee not later than 48 
hours before the occurrence of such meeting, hear-
ing, or working session; 
(2) request the cooperation and assistance of 
the heads of such other Federal departments and 
agencies as may be appropriate, including the detail-
ing of personnel; 
(3) make available for public comment a pro-
posed agenda prepared by the Policy Committee, 
which will reflect to the greatest extent possible the 
major issues facing the field of food and nutrition 
consistent with the purposes of the Conference set 
forth in section 3(c); 
(4) prepare and make available background ma-
terials that the Cochairs deem necessary for the use 
of delegates to the Conference; and 
(5) employ such additional personnel as may be 
necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
without regard to provisions of title 5, United States 
Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
service, and without regard to chapter 51 and sub-
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chapter III of chapter 53 of such title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates. 
(b) DUTIES.—In carrying out the Cochairs’s respon-
sibilities and functions under this section, the Cochairs 
shall ensure that— 
(1) the proposed agenda prepared under sub-
section (a)(3) is published in the Federal Register 
not later than 30 days after such agenda is approved 
by the Policy Committee; 
(2) the personnel employed under subsection 
(a)(5) are fairly balanced in terms of points of views 
represented and are appointed without regard to po-
litical affiliation or previous partisan activities; 
(3) the recommendations of the Conference are 
not inappropriately influenced by any public official 
or by any special interest, but instead are the result 
of the independent and collective judgment of the 
delegates of the Conference; and 
(4) before the Conference is convened— 
(A) current and adequate statistical data 
(including decennial census data) and other in-
formation on food and nutrition in the United 
States; and 
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(B) such information as may be necessary 
to evaluate Federal programs and policies relat-
ing to food and nutrition; 
which the Cochairs may obtain by making grants to 
or entering into an agreement with, public agencies 
or nonprofit organizations, are readily available in 
advance of the Conference to the delegates. 
(c) GIFTS.—The Cochairs may accept, on behalf of 
the United States, gifts (in cash or in kind, including vol-
untary and uncompensated services), which shall be avail-
able to carry out this Act. Gifts of cash shall be available 
in addition to amounts appropriated to carry out this title. 
Gifts may be earmarked by the donor or the executive 
committee for a specific purpose. 
(d) RECORDS.—The Cochairs shall maintain records 
regarding— 
(1) the sources, amounts, and uses of gifts ac-
cepted under subsection (c); and 
(2) the identity of each person receiving assist-
ance to carry out this Act, and the amount of such 
assistance received by each such person. 
SEC. 7. REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE. 
(a) PRELIMINARY REPORT.—Not later than 100 days 
after the Conference adjourns, the Policy Committee shall 
prepare a preliminary report on the Conference which 
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shall be published in the Federal Register and submitted 
to the chief executive officers of the States. The Policy 
Committee shall request that the chief executive officers 
of the States submit to the Policy Committee, not later 
than 45 days after receiving such report, their views and 
findings on such report. 
(b) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after 
the date on which the Conference adjourns, the Policy 
Committee shall— 
(1) prepare a final report of the Conference 
which shall include a compilation of the views and 
findings of the chief executive officers of the States 
received under subsection (a); and 
(2) publish in the Federal Register, and trans-
mit to the President and to Congress, the rec-
ommendations for the administrative action and the 
legislation necessary to implement the recommenda-
tions contained in such report. 
SEC. 8. STATUS REPORTS. 
(a) INITIAL STATUS REPORT.—Not later than 2 
years after the date on which the Conference adjourns, 
the Surgeon General shall— 
(1) prepare a status report documenting the im-
plementation of the recommendations contained in 
the final report described in section 7(b)(1); and 
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(2) publish in the Federal Register, and trans-
mit to the President and to Congress, such status 
report. 
(b) SUBSEQUENT STATUS REPORTS.—Not later than 
5 years after the date on which the Conference adjourns, 
and every 5 years thereafter until all recommendations in 
the final report described in section 7(b)(1) are achieved, 
the Comptroller General shall— 
(1) prepare a status report documenting the im-
plementation of the recommendations contained in 
such final report; and 
(2) publish in the Federal Register, and trans-
mit to the President and to Congress, such status 
report. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITION OF STATE. 
For the purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘State’’ means 
any of the several States, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, 
the Virgin Islands of the United States, or the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act— 
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(A) such sums as may be necessary for the 
first fiscal year in which the Policy Committee 
plans the Conference and for the following fis-
cal year; and 
(B) such sums as may be necessary for the 
fiscal year in which the Conference is held. 
(2) LIMITATION.—Any new spending authority 
or new authority to enter into contracts under this 
Act, and under which the United States is obligated 
to make outlays, shall be effective only to the extent, 
and in such amounts, as are provided in advance in 
appropriations Acts. 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (3), funds appropriated to carry out this Act 
and funds received as gifts under section 6(c) shall 
remain available for obligation or expenditure until 
the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on the 
date the Conference adjourns. 
(2) UNOBLIGATED FUNDS.—Except as provided 
in paragraph (3), any such funds neither expended 
nor obligated before the expiration of the 1-year pe-
riod beginning on the date the Conference adjourns 
shall be returned to the United States Treasury. 
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(3) CONFERENCE NOT CONVENED.—If the Con-
ference is not convened before December 31, 2012, 
a trust fund shall be established and such funds 
shall only be available for a future Conference on 
Food and Nutrition. 
Æ 
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