Opinion

William Lambers: Congress must pass coronavirus relief bill that fights hunger

By WILLIAM LAMBERS
By William Lambers

As the Senate leaves Washington, D.C., with no deal on the next coronavirus relief package, the hungry are growing more desperate.

Hunger and the coronavirus are a deadly combination. We must feed the hungry if we are to stop the coronavirus and its devastating impact. Congress needs to get back in action to pass a coronavirus relief bill.

Imagine if you were unsure where your next meal was coming from. That is the tragic reality facing millions of Americans and people around the world during this pandemic.

Feeding America pleads “We need a COVID-19 stimulus bill that provides the hunger-relief response our nation needs now more than ever. American families and the economy cannot wait any longer.”

Millions of Americans have lost jobs due to closures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. They are turning to foodbanks for help in record numbers. But foodbanks are not able to keep up with the demand. Studies reveal that hunger may impact more than 54 million Americans because of the coronavirus.

Congress needs to increase the government’s TEFAP program which supplies our nation’s food banks. Expanding the food stamp (SNAP) program will give impoverished families purchasing power at grocery stores and relieve long-term stress on the foodbanks. EBT cards are needed so families can buy food for their children who have missed free school meals because of closings.

Bread for the World says, “we strongly urge Congress to take swift action and include a 15% increase in the monthly SNAP benefit to everyone who is eligible and extend the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program.”

It’s a matter of public health to make sure no family goes hungry, especially during a pandemic. Nutrition is vital to resisting disease.

Global hunger is also on the rise during this pandemic with dozens of countries now at risk of famine. Even before the coronavirus struck earlier this year, global hunger was a massive crisis that needed more attention. Conflicts and climate change were causing severe hunger in Yemen, Southern Africa, and many other areas. Now the pandemic has made these emergencies even worse.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, severe hunger is taking place along with coronavirus and the Ebola virus. Some civilians have been displaced by internal conflict there too causing even more suffering.

The UN World Food Program (WFP) and other relief agencies do not have enough funding to cope with the global hunger emergency. That is why it’s vital that Congress increase funding for international food aid as well.

We cannot allow hunger and disease to spread around the globe. WFP director David Beasley reminds us that hunger and coronavirus is “a deadly combination and we’ve got to act now, and we’ve got to be smart. You can’t just deal with coronavirus by itself or hunger by itself. They must be dealt with together. If we do it right, we can save lives. If we don’t do it right, people will die.”

Bread for the World and Catholic Relief Services are encouraging citizens to write to Congress urging them to act on coronavirus and hunger relief. We can saves lives from hunger during this pandemic. But we need Congress to take action now on the coronavirus relief bill.

William Lambers is an author who partnered with the UN World Food Program and Catholic Relief Services on the book Ending World Hunger. His writings have been published by the USA Today, Baltimore Sun, History News Network, The Hill, Houston Chronicle and many other news outlets.

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