ONE Endorses Bipartisan Lugar-Casey Bill for Global Food Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C – ONE today endorsed bi-partisan legislation to provide emergency food assistance to developing countries hit hard by the global economic crisis and increase agricultural productivity in those countries over the long-term.

More than 960 million people in the world are living in hunger in 2008, an increase of 40 million people over the course of one year.

Introduced in the Senate this week by U.S. Senators Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Robert Casey, D-Penn, the Global Food Security Act (S.384) provides 10 billion dollars over five years to address the short term food crisis and to implement programs such as agricultural research, technological innovation and locally adapted agricultural training to encourage food sustainability in the future.

Tom Hart, ONE’s Director of Government Relations, urged Congressional support for the bipartisan legislation:

“This important bipartisan legislation is a smart move in addressing the issue of global food security. It not only provides emergency food assistance to those facing hunger right now in poor countries, it also provides ways to reverse recent increases in hunger worldwide by prioritizing long term investments in agricultural productivity.

“The Lugar-Casey bill helps people feed themselves and their families and prevents needless suffering.  By investing in agricultural productivity now, we avoid millions more people needing emergency food aid in the future.”

“ONE thanks Senator Lugar and Senator Casey for their leadership and looks forward to working with them and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to see this bill passed into law.”