Media CenterCRS is pleased that the U.S. Senate has passed the Global Food Security Act

WASHINGTON, DC, April 21, 2016—Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is pleased that the U.S. Senate has passed the Global Food Security Act (GFSA), an important step in ensuring that millions around the world will no longer suffer from hunger, malnutrition and extreme poverty. 

“This bill supports programs that go far beyond giving people food, it instead gives them the tools they need to build lives for themselves and their families, to build their countries’ economies,” said Bill O’Keefe, Vice President for Government Relations and Advocacy at CRS. “Its passing of both the House and now the Senate affirms how Americans can impact the world in positive ways when we work together.” 

O’Keefe went on to say that “we hope the House and Senate can resolve the differences between the two bills quickly, so that the programs and changes at the heart of this bill can come into effect as soon as possible.”

The GFSA authorizes the Feed the Future initiative which supports agriculture-led economic growth in numerous developing nations. The bill specifically aims support at smallholder farmers, the backbone of their nations’ economies, giving them the training and skills they need to lift themselves out of poverty.

CRS joined over 60 other humanitarian organizations in signing a letter praising the passage of the GFSA. “The bipartisan Global Food Security Act is an exciting step forward in building the political will needed to end global hunger and malnutrition in our lifetime,” the letter states.

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, please visit crs.org or crsespanol.org and follow CRS on social media: Facebook,@CatholicRelief, @CRSnews, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.