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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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OR Food Bank Goes to Congress

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Friday, March 2, 2012   

PORTLAND, Ore. - Representatives of the Oregon Food Bank (OFB) network were in the nation's capital this week to share their challenges and successes with their counterparts fighting hunger in other states.

One stop was the Senate Agriculture Committee, where staff members asked Oregon and three other states for a briefing as their bosses debate the new Farm Bill starting next week. Jeff Kleen, OFB public-policy advocate, told them the Oregon Food Bank couldn't do what it does without help from federal food programs.

"All of these programs really are complementary. I was there to make the case that it's not an either/or - that they really do work together supporting local economies and low-income households, for people to have an adequate and nutritious diet."

Kleen says he stressed the economic benefits the federal food programs have for retailers and farmers, as well as lower-income families. Late last year, the Senate Ag Committee chairman had submitted a budget that cut more than $4 billion from federal nutrition programs, although the Farm Bill is far from being finalized.

Beverlee Hughes, executive director of FOOD for Lane County, says the demand for emergency food in her area is up 16 percent from a year ago. In meetings with individual members of Congress, she says they met with full agreement on both sides of the aisle that hunger is a growing problem.

"People did believe that hunger was apolitical - that the ways to fight it, and the solutions and costs, were all under negotiation, but the knowledge that so many people in our country are in trouble right now seemed to be understood by very many people. And I was pleased to hear that."

Hearing from Agriculture Department officials, Hughes says she is also encouraged by a stronger focus on fighting obesity and making the connection between emergency food and healthy, local foods. That's the topic of a Senate Ag Committee hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

The conference was sponsored by Feeding America and the Food Research & Action Center.


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