Washington, D.C. – Bread for the World applauds the House of Representatives’ passage of the Global Food Security Act of 2016 (H.R. 1567/S. 1252). This bipartisan bill will help alleviate hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. Bread now urges the Senate to pass its version of the bill.
“We applaud the House of Representatives for acting to pass this bipartisan legislation,” said Eric Mitchell, director of government relations at Bread for the World. “The bill calls for a global food security strategy, similar to the approach used by the Feed the Future initiative. It ensures we are able to build upon the program’s success to fight hunger and malnutrition, and strengthen agricultural production.”
The bill has broad, bipartisan support, including nearly 130 co-sponsors. The bill will affect many of the more than 795 million chronically malnourished people, including 159 million children, across the world. It would also improve maternal and child nutrition, especially in the key 1,000 days between a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s second birthday.
The bill would put in place a strategy for the U.S. government to help hungry nations develop smart, long-term agriculture programs and ensure these nations can independently meet the nutrition needs of their people. Last year, Feed the Future helped nearly 7 million smallholder farmers and reached more than 12 million women and children with vital nutrition programs.
“U.S. leadership is vital in the fight against hunger, malnutrition, and extreme poverty,” Mitchell said. “This vote shows that ending hunger and poverty is not a partisan issue. The bill will help strengthen communities and develop stronger trading partners for our country, creating a more stable and secure world.”
Bread joined with 68 organizations to endorse the legislation.
