Washington, D.C., April 20, 2024 – Bread for the World welcomes House passage of more than $9 billion of desperately needed emergency humanitarian assistance. The humanitarian assistance was included in the foreign aid legislation.
The following statement can be attributed to Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World:
“The world is in the midst of the worst hunger and famine crisis of our time. Tens of millions of people who live in hunger hotspots in multiple countries and regions are on the verge of, or are now experiencing, severe malnutrition and famine. In most cases, these crises are driven by conflict. For example, in Sudan alone nearly 18 million people, one-third of the population, face emergency food insecurity. In Gaza. 70 percent of the population is experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger, and in northern Gaza famine is likely already occurring.
“The emergency humanitarian assistance included in this legislation will provide food, shelter, water, medical supplies, and other critical relief. Without this emergency humanitarian assistance, millions of people, especially children, would be at risk of dying. With the lives of so many people at stake, we must also ensure the humanitarian assistance is able to immediately and effectively reach all who need it.
“Bread for the World advocates have tirelessly urged their members of Congress to support this emergency humanitarian assistance. Bread staff have been raising awareness about the needs of people in hunger hotspots through meetings with members of Congress as well as through briefings with congressional staffers, anti-hunger advocates, partner organizations, on-the-ground implementers, and other stakeholders where information was provided about, and aid workers shared their experiences in, countries that this assistance will help.
“Bread thanks Speaker Johnson for including the critical funding in the House foreign aid bills and all House members who voted to support it. We now urge the Senate to quickly pass the legislation.”
