Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)

Federal Food Legislation: Update and Information.

The weekly Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) News Digest (www.FRAC.org) highlights what's new on hunger, nutrition and poverty issues at FRAC, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around the network of national, state and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations, and in the media. The Digest will alert you to trends, reports, news items and resources and, when available, link you directly to them. The following editorial reprinted in the Digest understores the need to continue to press our legislators regarding current Federal budget decisions. Make calls to the Washington offices of our local legislators. They need to keep hearing from us!

"Capitol Hill budget bills cut services for the poor and cut taxes for the rich, an outrage if allowed to stand,” editorializes The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina. While the number of poor Americans is growing, the House budget aims to save money by taking food stamps away from nearly a quarter of a million people and by decreasing child support enforcement efforts and help with child care. The budget also does not provide enough home heating assistance money for a winter of sharply higher energy costs. This is an example of “intolerable” unfairness. “A compassionate people doesn't force choices between food and medicine, not even if it costs the rich. One would hope that when all is said and done, that kind of compassion might win out in Congress as well."

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