Two Trillion Dollar Surplus Calls Budget Priorities Into Question

Bread for the World
Monday, 26 June 2000

There's no excuse for widespread hunger when the government can afford to restore the nation's nutritional safety net

The Clinton administration announced today that the U.S. government is expected to take in $1.9 trillion more than it spends over the next 10 years. In the face of this enormous surplus, there is no excuse to allow high levels of hunger to persist in this nation.

Last year, the U.S. government released the findings of a study showing that one in 10 families cannot always afford the food they need. Yet we could cut hunger in half in this country within just a couple of years simply by strengthening federal nutrition programs, especially food stamps.

As a first step, Congress should pass the Hunger Relief Act, which would extend food stamps to more needy families. With 132 House cosponsors and 27 Senate cosponsors, the bill has wide bipartisan support in Congress. Over 10 years, the cost of the Hunger Relief Act would be less than one half of one percent of the expected surplus.

There is no longer any question of whether we can afford to reduce hunger in the United States. The only question is whether there is the political will.

Bread for the World is a 45,000 member Christian citizens' movement against hunger. Founded in 1974, Bread for the World's members lobby Congress and the administration to bring about public policy changes that address the root causes of hunger and poverty in the United States and overseas. Bread for the World is a nonpartisan organization supported by 45 denominations and many theological perspectives.

For more information, or to contact Bread for the World, see their website at: www.bread.org