Rep. David Camp (R-Mich.) says that it’s nothing short of a disgrace for the Speaker to leave Congress, not call the Republicans back and remain on a promotional book tour while everyday-Americans are suffering all over the country. He also says it is a sad day when Americans are forced to pass up fresh foods to pay for increased oil prices (:28).
The United States, a country with so much abundance, cannot sit back as impoverished nations suffer from high food prices, said John Hamre, President and CEO of The Center for Strategic and International Studies. (more…)
At a discussion hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on developing definitive strategies against the world food shortage, Senator Robert Casey (D-Pa.) says Americans are summoned by their consciences to help. He said the extent of the food crisis is “hard to even comprehend.” (0:38)
A hearing on international disaster assistance was held before the Senate Foreing Relations Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection. Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said that humanitarian aid is more complicated than dropping food and water out of an airplane. (more…)
Briefer: Tony Fratto,
President’s Schedule:
At 9.45 am, President Bush is briefed on the Midwest flooding situations. At 10:20 am, the President meets with the Former Commander of the International Security Assistance Force in the Oval Office of the White House. This afternoon, President Bush will make remarks in honor of Black Music Month.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Tony Fratto will brief the press at 12.30 pm today. (more…)
Senators Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) held a press conference today on “Making the American Dream More Affordable.” Reid said that Republicans are preventing progress on making higher education more affordable and improving social security and Medicaid. Dorgan said that the economy is “sick” and that the minority in the Senate keeps saying no to the necessary changes Democrats wants to make.
Treena Walker, an office cleaner and single mother, said that she struggles to provide for her children, unable to pay for all of the food, gas, and healthcare her family requires. Sadie Coleman, a senior member of the Alliance for Retired Americans, said that she struggles to pay for her medications and that she has seen friends cut pills in half to make medications last longer. Sheila Isong, a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, said that she has overwhelming student loan debt and hopes that the Democrats can make real changes to make high education more affordable.
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), said that the Senate is mere votes away from passing legislation to ease economic woes, but that the minority is preventing progress
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs met to discuss financial speculation in commodity markets and to hear statements as to whether or not investors and hedge funds are causing inflated food and energy prices. Witnesses discussed their findings on the influence of speculation on the global rise in commodity costs. (more…)
Danny Glover discusses the need for governments to reorganize the economic marketplace to allow farmers to more easily create food for families. (0:55)
In a briefing today on the global food crisis, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), award winning actor Danny Glover and other experts discussed the increasingly negative impact of malnutrition on children.
According to the World Bank, and estimated 100 million people have been pushed into poverty in recent years, largely due to the rising food costs. Many families are substituting nutrient rich foods like meat with starchy, cheaper foods with little nutritional value. This under nutrition has large and lasting effects on children all over the world and needs to be brought to global attention, said Jackson Lee. (more…)
