The White House forfeited its opportunity for a bipartisan outcome of its hunger conference next week, so it should expect open skepticism about its recommendations, said five senior House Republicans on Wednesday. “Moving forward, we plan to take an active oversight role … as Congress and the administration deliberate how to move forward to ensure we are all supporting the goals of ending hunger and improving nutrition in ways that make sound policy sense for all Americans.”
In a letter to the White House, the Republicans said that despite their hopes of bipartisan preparations for the hunger conference, the first since 1969, it “had deteriorated into a partisan gathering lacking the direction and clarity needed to drive significant long-lasting change.” The letter was signed by the Republican leaders of the House Agriculture, Education, Commerce, and Oversight committees and the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees SNAP, WIC, school lunch, and other public nutrition programs.
The White House has provided few details about the Sept. 28 conference, whose goal is ending hunger and increasing healthy eating and physical exercise by 2030. “The administration will also release a national strategy with actions the federal government will take to drive solutions to these challenges,” says the conference website.
The food industry says it should be viewed at the hunger conference as a partner, “because we’re a big part of the solution” and should not be saddled with mandates on labeling, reported Roll Call newspaper.