Rep. Jan Schakowsky sent a letter to Shaun Donovan, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget on Thursday, urging him to use his authority to increase funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).  The 2014 Farm Bill authorized a funding increase for TEFAP, and Rep. Schakowsky stated that it is her understanding that despite no specific increase for the program in the recently-passed Continuing Resolution to fund the government, the Administration has the authority to take that step.  The text of the letter can be found below.

The Honorable Shaun Donovan

Director

Office of Management and Budget

725 7th Street, NW

Washington, DC, 20503

September 18, 2014

Dear Director Donovan:

As you work in the coming weeks to implement the legislative language in the Fiscal Year 2015 Continuing Resolution (CR), I urge you to ensure that the additional funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill is apportioned to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

While the language in the House-passed CR does not contain an anomaly specifying that the $50 million in additional TEFAP funding authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill will be included, it is my understanding that the Administration has the statutory authority necessary to provide an apportionment of the additional TEFAP funding – making an anomaly unnecessary. 

That funding is urgently needed by food banks and the clients they serve.  According to Feeding America’s “Hunger in America 2014” study, food banks serve one in seven Americans, or more than 46 million people each year.  Individuals and families who never imagined they would need help putting food on the table are turning to food banks to get through tough times.  Millions of others are visiting their emergency providers on an ongoing basis, reflecting persistent need. 

According to Feeding America, TEFAP commodities make up about 20 percent of the food moving through its network of more than 200 nationwide food banks.  Without additional TEFAP commodities, food banks will be hard-pressed to provide enough food assistance to those in need.  As you know, there is strong bipartisan, bicameral support for TEFAP, as demonstrated by the additional funding provided in the Farm Bill.  I encourage you to take all necessary steps to ensure that the authorized additional TEFAP funding is provided, as Congress intended, without delay in Fiscal Year 2015.

I appreciate your attention to this request and look forward to hearing from you regarding this issue.

      Sincerely,

                                                               Jan Schakowsky

                                                               Member of Congress