Living in the breadbasket of our nation, it can be difficult to comprehend the prevalence of hunger in our own communities and around the world. Yet, hunger is real – and it threatens the future of millions of people every day. Hunger creates political instability, stunts economic growth and robs individuals of their dignity and self-potential.

When I travel throughout Kansas, I recognize the impact of hunger on our communities. I also see how Kansans react to this problem with compassion and a genuine desire to see people prosper. In my effort to represent this spirit of Kansans, I co-chair the Senate Hunger Caucus and am working to raise awareness about issues surrounding hunger.

To help food banks and the Americans they serve, I introduced bipartisan legislation that encourages businesses and farms to donate surplus food to local food banks. The Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Act permanently extends a tax credit for donating food and expands the credit to all businesses including small businesses, farmers, ranchers and restaurant owners. Permanently extending the hunger relief tax incentive will increase food bank contributions and make sure less food goes to waste.