CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE, CONGRESSWOMAN GRACE MENG INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO FIGHT HUNGER

(Rochester, N.Y.)—Today, Congressman Joe Morelle (D, NY-25) and Congresswoman Grace Meng (D, NY-06) introduced legislation to reduce food insecurity for families across the nation. The Hunger Clearinghouse Enhancement Act would increase funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Hunger Clearinghouse Hotline and help improve access to food assistance, nutrition, and social services information for families in need.

“In the richest and most advanced nation in human history, it’s insulting that families are still worried about putting food on the table. We have a responsibility to confront this crisis head-on—and I refuse to stand idly by as Donald Trump continues to use hunger as a weapon against our families,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “This legislation strengthens access to nutrition assistance and helps ensure families have the support they need to stay afloat. I’m grateful to Senator Gillibrand and Congresswoman Meng for their partnership as we work to protect Americans.”

“As grocery prices continue to rise, and food assistance programs dwindle, millions of Americans are experiencing food insecurity. In the richest country in the world, no one should go hungry,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng. “The Hunger Clearinghouse Enhancement Act will make it easier for people to find food resources they need and increase critical federal funding to address hunger prevention and education. I’m proud to join Congressman Morelle and Senator Gillibrand to introduce this important legislation and for their shared commitment to addressing the hunger crisis.”

Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, said: “Call volume to the Hotline in 2020-2025 continued to be literally three times higher than before the pandemic, yet federal funding for the Hotline has remained exactly the same, at a paltry $250,000 per year, which covers less than half of the Hotline expenses.  Big thanks to Congressman Morelle for fighting to increase funding for this vital service, which aids tens of thousands of the most vulnerable Americans per year.”

Roughly 14% of U.S. households reported food insecurity on average between January and October 2025, up from 12.5% in 2024. For many of these individuals, food insecurity is the result of limited financial resources and limited access to available options. any of these households are unaware of the food assistance programs that exist and could benefit them. Increasing funding for the USDA’s National Hunger Clearinghouse hotline is a solution to address this problem.

The USDA’s National Hunger Clearinghouse helps low-income individuals or communities by providing food assistance and other nutrition and social services information, serving as an important tool in combating hunger and promoting economic mobility.

Specifically, the Hunger Clearinghouse Enhancement Act would:

• Increase the National Hunger Clearinghouse’s authorization level from $250,000 to $750,000 to better assist families navigate the best options and resources.
• Provide resources to assist and educate families on ways to prevent hunger.
• Implement training for suitable volunteers willing to provide their support to address the staff shortage this program faces.

The full text of the Hunger Clearinghouse Enhancement Act is available here. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has introduced the Senate companion bill.

For information on USDA’s Hunger Clearinghouse, visit the USDA webpage here.

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