***** Tell your US Rep to co-sponsor ***** H.R. 2129, Feeding America’s Families Act *****

[Sapphire Blue]

NUTRITION BILL INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE

On May 3, Representatives McGovern (D-MA) and Emerson (R-MO) introduced H.R. 2129, Feeding America’s Families Act. The purpose of the bill is to highlight nutritional priorities that the bill sponsors and advocates hope will be included when the Food Stamp Program and other nutrition programs are reauthorized in the Farm Bill this year.

The bill calls for improving benefit levels, expanding eligibility, and improving access to food stamps. Over time a typical family of three would receive $37 more each month. The minimum benefit for individuals, stuck at $10 a month for decades, would grow to $32. Legal immigrants now excluded from the program would be eligible. Reporting of income would be simplified. The deduction for child care expenses would be increased and combat pay would be excluded from countable income in determining eligibility for food stamps. Current law requires states to exclude certain ex-offenders from Food Stamp eligibility unless a state takes action to opt out of the ban; H.R. 2129 would foster reintegration into the community by making such ex-offenders eligible unless states specifically opt to exclude them. People would be able to have more assets (with special exclusions for savings for retirement or education) without being disqualified for Food Stamps and more funding would be made available to increase outreach. Currently only 60 percent those eligible for this entitlement program receive the benefits.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is also authorized in the Farm Bill. TEFAP provides USDA commodities to states, which distribute the food through local emergency food providers. H.R. 2129 would increase annual funding for TEFAP from $140 million to $250 million and index it for inflation. In addition, H.R. 2129 reauthorizes the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides monthly food packages mostly to low-income senior citizens. The bill also renews the Emerson and Leland Hunger Fellowship Programs.

http://www.chn.org/humanneeds/070504d.html

Representative Offices: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml


HERE IS A LIST OF TOLL FREE CAPITOL HILL SWITCHBOARD NUMBERS:

1 (800) 828 - 0498

1 (800) 459 - 1887

1 (800) 614 - 2803

1 (866) 340 - 9281

1 (866) 338 - 1015

1 (877) 851 - 6437

(Toll free numbers courtesy of calimary. Thanks again, calimary!)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 25:

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

Please call your US Representative & tell them to co-sponsor H.R. 2129!

Thank you!
Sapphire Blue
Resident DU Fanatic Beggar

:hug: :loveya: :grouphug: :loveya: :hug:

[Monkeyman]

1. K&R

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

3. Thank you, Monkeyman!

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

59. ***** Anyone who is up & reading this thread now (Sunday night) can EMAIL THEIR REPS RIGHT NOW...

Representative Offices: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

(Then call them in the morning ;) )

[Sapphire Blue]

60. Kick - Please send your email now!

Representative Offices: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

Thanks!

:hug:

[Truthseeker013]

2. NUTRITION BILL INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE

I'm pretty sure that my congressman will be behind this, but I'll drop him a line to make certain.

[Sapphire Blue]

4. Thank you, Truthseeker013, and welcome to DU!

[Occulus]

5. This WILL help us put food on our families

:silly:

[acmavm]

6. Hunger in a country that can cough up 126 billion dollars for an obscene

and lost war is the ultimate disgrace.

Kick AND recommend.

[Cerridwen]

10. I caught a "blurb" from a TV "report" from Hollywood...$350M

each to make a couple of movies. I wasn't listening so I don't know which two. I've often wondered how many people we might feed using that same money to feed them rather than "entertain" them. U.S. peoples' priorities...*sigh*

[acmavm]

27. You know, I've wondered about that myself. I just figured it was like

the fights in the Colluseum back in the old Roman Empire days. That's the way they diverted the attention of the masses, with gladatorial entertainment.

I guess we haven't progressed much from those times, have we?

[Cerridwen]

30. I agree.

I'm always amazed by those who talk of our ancestors or those of ancient times as though they were somehow less sophisticated or intelligent than we "modern" people are. Apparently, to their thinking, we've progressed so much beyond those who came before. Uh, yeah, computers, TVs, radio, mass-corporate-controlled media, automobiles...we've increased our technology but what have we done about our selves?

Oh well, now we have the internet...we're saved, I tell you! Saved!

/snark at my words (not you or yours)

[acmavm]

31. Yeah, with those religions compassionate Xtians running the country

and the warS, how could we not be on the side of truth, justice, and the American way. (My apologies to Superman.)

[Cerridwen]

33. Oh, yeah, another component of our mass apathy? ignorance?

idiocy? lack-of-compassion?

Power mongers selling the snake-oil labeled greed in the guise of "religion". I sometimes can't decide if I should be out screaming in the streets or holing up and letting the world pass me by. Or maybe I should hole up and scream? *sigh*

[Greyhound]

11. Not to mention the 2/3 of a trillion in general military expenditures, 10%

of which would make said military largely unnecessary.

To reiterate, shameful.

[Sapphire Blue]

13. Thank you, acmavm!

:hug:

[Cerridwen]

7. K & R for Sapphire Blue who so strongly and consistently

advocates for the "least among us".

:hug: for SB and :kick: for the board. ;)

[Sapphire Blue]

14. Thank you, Cerridwen!

In the words of Elie Wiesel: “Our lives no longer belong to us alone; they belong to all those who need us desperately.”


There are so many who need us desperately.

:hug:

[Cerridwen]

8. One more recommend for the Greatest Page? Somebody? n/t

[Greyhound]

9. To the Greatest page with you.

:kick: & R

[Cerridwen]

12. Thank you, darlin'.

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

15. Thank you, greyhound1966!

:hug:

[Cleita]

16. What an excellent bill.

I do support this and will let the right politicians know.

[Sapphire Blue]

17. Thank you, Cleita!

:hug:

[Bjornsdotter]

18. Will do

...and thanks for keeping us informed, I don't know what we would do without you.

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

22. Thank you, Bjornsdotter!

:hug:

fyi - You can stay informed by signing up for CHN email updates @ http://www.chn.org/signUp.jsp

[Breeze54]

19. Thanks for reminding me!!

:kick: & Recommended!

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 25:

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.


http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Sapphire Blue]

23. You are very welcome, Breeze54!

:hug: Thank you for the K&R!

[Catchawave]

20. Thank YOU, SB !!!! KnR and

:toast: :hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

24. You're welcome, Catchawave! Thank you for the K&R!

:hug:

[Horse with no Name]

21. K&R

[Sapphire Blue]

25. Thank you, HwnN!

:hug:

[Horse with no Name]

38. YW. This is important.

:hug:backatcha.

[nam78_two]

26. K&R.nt

[Sapphire Blue]

28. Thank you, nam78_two!

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

29. ***** Please also consider contacting Reps McGovern (D-MA) and Emerson (R-MO) to THANK them...

... for introducing this legislation!


Contact Congressman McGovern: http://mcgovern.house.gov/?sectionid=29§iontree=8,29


Contact Representative Emerson: http://www.house.gov/emerson/contact/

[Sapphire Blue]

37. ***** Congressman Jim McGovern: ENDING HUNGER *****

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x833544

[bread_and_roses]

32. Worth contacting even supporting Reps to let them know people care about this

issue. I don't think this particular Bill goes far enough, but with nothing else on the table, is worth supporting.

[Sapphire Blue]

35. Thank you, kenzee13!

:hug:

[antigop]

34. Will contact my representative

I doubt he will support it, but I will contact him and get others to contact him.

Is there a Senate bill? If not, I will contact my Senators and ask them to sponsor a Senate version of the bill.

Thank you, Sapphire Blue, for your continued efforts to stay on top of the legislation.

[Sapphire Blue]

36. Thank you so much, antigop! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

:hug:

I don't know if there is a Senate version; this is the only one that I know about.

[Solly Mack]

39. K/R

[Sapphire Blue]

40. Thank you, Solly Mack!

:hug:

[kineneb]

41. kick

just trying to help...will try to call, if I feel well enough to deal with those folks...

[Sapphire Blue]

42. ..

:hug: Your help is appreciated!

[JNelson6563]

43. K&R!

As always you provide a valuable service and reminder to us all. :yourock:

Julie

[Sapphire Blue]

46. Hi, Julie! Thank you!

:hug:

[Monkeyman]

44. Kicking

[Sapphire Blue]

47. ..

:hug:

[Forkboy]

45. See if we can keep this kicked for a day or two.

[Sapphire Blue]

48. Thanks, Forkboy! I'd really appreciate that!

:hug:

[Forkboy]

49. You're welcome

Which gives me another excuse to kick it. :)

[Sapphire Blue]

50. ..

:hi: :hug:

[JNelson6563]

51. Yep, I'll look for it in the AM

and kick it for the weekday morning crowd.

:toast:

[Forkboy]

52. oops...it almost made it to page 2....the VOID.

:)

[Sapphire Blue]

54. Kicking back up from the VOID!

:kick:

:hi: Thank you for your earlier rescue ;)

[Sapphire Blue]

76. Back up from the VOID again. This bill needs some co-sponsors!

:kick:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

53. Nothin' but love for SB kick!!

:loveya: :hi: :hug:


:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Sapphire Blue]

55. ..

:hi: :hug: :loveya:

[G_j]

56. thank you

I will call in the morning!


:-)

[Sapphire Blue]

57. Thank *you* G_j!

:hug:

[Blackhatjack]

58. K & R --and make sure someone asks Giuliani if he supports this!

Good post Sapphire --proud to recommend.

[Sapphire Blue]

62. Thank you, Blackhatjack!

Giuliani? Support this? Not part of his 'Gentrify America' plan. Hungry people dying in the streets? Not to worry... Rudy will take care of that... he'll make it illegal to die in the streets. :puke:

[me b zola]

61. k&r

:kick:

[Sapphire Blue]

63. Thank you, me b zola!

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

64. ***** It's Sunday night - If you're reading this, PLEASE send your email NOW!!! Thank you!!!

:kick: Representative Offices: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

[Sapphire Blue]

65. ***** kick *****

:kick: Representative Offices: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

[Sapphire Blue]

66. ****** kick *****

:kick: Representative Offices: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

[Forkboy]

67. Just checkin' in!

Seeing how everyone is doing. :)

[Sapphire Blue]

72. Good morning, Forkboy!

:hi: :hug:

[Forkboy]

77. Good afternoon SB!

:hi:

[The Straight Story]

68. Kicking for ya! (nt)

[Sapphire Blue]

73. Thank you, The Straight Story!

:hi: :hug:

[entanglement]

69. 5am kick

:)

[Sapphire Blue]

74. ..

:hi: :hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

70. Time to start calling!

HERE IS A LIST OF TOLL FREE CAPITOL HILL SWITCHBOARD NUMBERS:

1 (800) 828 - 0498

1 (800) 459 - 1887

1 (800) 614 - 2803

1 (866) 340 - 9281

1 (866) 338 - 1015

1 (877) 851 - 6437

:kick:

[Sapphire Blue]

71. Please start calling; there are no co-sponsors yet!

HERE IS A LIST OF TOLL FREE CAPITOL HILL SWITCHBOARD NUMBERS:

1 (800) 828 - 0498

1 (800) 459 - 1887

1 (800) 614 - 2803

1 (866) 340 - 9281

1 (866) 338 - 1015

1 (877) 851 - 6437

:kick:

[Sapphire Blue]

75. !

HERE IS A LIST OF TOLL FREE CAPITOL HILL SWITCHBOARD NUMBERS:

1 (800) 828 - 0498

1 (800) 459 - 1887

1 (800) 614 - 2803

1 (866) 340 - 9281

1 (866) 338 - 1015

1 (877) 851 - 6437

:kick:

[Forkboy]

78. One more visit to the front page.

:kick: